Colorado Representative Tom Tancredo told Fox News’ Neil Caputo he’s considering a presidential run if no one steps up to take a tough enough stand on illegal immigration.

“If it is — if the situation develops that no one else will take this issue on not just with their rhetoric, but with their heart — because people will see through that, I think — if they will really do this, then I’ll be knocking on doors for them,” said Rep. Tancredo.

“If no one does, I will do it and I will push it as hard as I can because I believe with all my heart, Neil, that this — we’re talking about the country here, the salvation of the nation,” said Tancredo. “I believe it is that much of a problem.”

Here’s the scary part: Zogby International conducted a poll in June that omitted potential candidates’ names and included only a short bio. Tancredo came in 4th among Republican candidates.

He finished behind “Candidate G,” former House Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia, with 21.4 percent; Sen. John McCain of Arizona, 13.3 percent; and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, 11.2 percent.

Tancredo’s bio read:

“Candidate J is a four-term Congressman from a swing state in the Midwest. Candidate J is best known of being an outspoken critic of illegal immigration. He has also been highly critical of the Bush administration’s guest worker plan. Before coming to Congress, Candidate J was a Department of Education official under Reagan and George H.W. Bush and was president of a conservative think tank.”

Do people really believe illegal immigration is the chief problem in this country? Ahead of the war in Iraq? That Tom Tancredo says curbing the immigration problem will be our “salvation” should tell you how myopic and out of the mainstream he is.