Former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke is running for Congress again, seeking the House seat his home state of Montana is gaining after the 2020 census, records show.

Why it matters: Zinke held Montana's lone at-large congressional seat before joining the Trump administration. While he left Interior in 2018 under an ethical cloud, his high name ID and GOP bona fides will likely make him a formidable candidate.

The big picture: Zinke filed a statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission on Thursday officially kicking off the House run.

• He also formed a new campaign committee, Zinke for Congress, to vie for Montana's second congressional district.
• While Zinke couldn't be immediately reached for comment, the new campaign committee uses the same treasurer and bank he used to mount his previous congressional bids.
• Word of his likely candidacy was first reported by The Hill.

Between the lines: The House seat Zinke seeks doesn't yet exist. The task of drawing lines for Montana's two congressional districts will fall to a nonpartisan redistricting commission, later this year.

Background: Zinke, an ex-Navy SEAL, represented Montana in the House for just over two years before joining Trump's Cabinet.

• Shortly after leaving the administration, he joined the lobbying firm Turnberry Solutions, run by a handful of Trump campaign veterans.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to note Zinke's statement of candidacy with the FEC.