A science teacher at Norwell High School announced Monday he will seek the Democratic nomination in northeast Indiana's 3rd Congressional District next May.

Ossian resident Chip Coldiron becomes the first announced Democratic candidate for the U.S. House seat occupied by second-term Republican Rep. Jim Banks of Columbia City.

The 3rd District has been represented by Republican lawmakers since 1995.

Coldiron has taught and coached at various Indiana schools, is a former health care worker and deployed twice to Afghanistan when he was in the Army, according to the announcement.

He "plans to continue to serve the public by putting people before politics and being the voice for those who are often left unheard," the news release stated.

Coldiron is a graduate of Norwell and Indiana University, the release said.

The Journal Gazette was not able to reach Coldiron this afternoon. He is scheduled to make a public campaign announcement on Nov. 13 at the Wells County Public Library in Bluffton.

Coldiron filed a statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission in late October.

Banks' re-election campaign said about Coldiron's candidacy: "The Congressman is currently focused on doing his job and fighting against the Democrat impeachment sham which seeks to overturn the 2016 election results. While he intends at this time to run for re-election, he will make a formal announcement about his intentions when campaign season begins."

Dr. Chris Magiera, a physician from Warsaw, announced in July that he will challenge Banks in the 2020 Republican primary election. Magiera is married to Pam Galloway, a former Wisconsin state lawmaker who finished fourth in the 2016 GOP primary won by Banks.

bfrancisco@jg.net