Rep. Tom Tancredo said Friday he will run for President in 2008 to get the nation focused on immigration.

“I’m not so naive to think I’d be a huge threat to the nominee,” Tancredo said. “(But) I am in a position to be influential in the process.”

Tancredo is off to Iowa next week and has visited New Hampshire and North and South Carolina. Who’s paying for these trips? 9 News says the trips are being “coordinated” by Bay Buchanan, sister of Pat Buchanan.

Is he serious about a presidential run?

For his part, Tancredo says he does not have the “fire in the belly” needed to run for President and hopes Congress and the President will actually embrace significant immigration reform before the 2008 Presidential election. However, if they don’t, he will run for the office.

Tancredo doesn’t seem concerned that his constituents may begin asking when the Congressman intends to focus on their needs instead of his own pet issues.

He says while Congress may want to discuss social security and health care, the American public wants to talk about immigration reform.