New Iberia lawyer Jeff Landry, Republican candidate for attorney general, speaks about the state GOP’s endorsement of his campaign Tuesday in Baton Rouge. The Republican Party of Louisiana backed Landry in the Oct. 24 election over incumbent GOP Attorney General Buddy Caldwell.

Jeff Landry, the former U.S. representative and current challenger for the state Attorney General’s Office, drew the state Republican Party endorsement Tuesday.

Landry, a former sheriff’s deputy, has notably received the endorsement ahead of incumbent AG Buddy Caldwell, a fellow Republican who is seeking re-election. Landry was quick to point out Caldwell began his career as a Democrat, but switched parties in 2011.

“I think what this endorsement says is that Caldwell is not really a Republican,” Landry said in a phone interview Tuesday.

Landry, a St. Martinville native who lives in New Iberia, claimed the incumbent switched political parties to win re-election when the state’s political climate shifted and noted Caldwell’s support of other Democratic candidates in Louisiana. He accused Caldwell’s office of engaging in “cronyism and nepotism” and said his own goal is to restore the AG’s office to fiscally and ethically responsible practices.

“His ethics have been questioned time and time again,” Landry said, adding Caldwell employs his son in a prominent position and has been accused of misusing public funds.

GOP Chairman Roger Villere said in an emailed statement Landry’s fights against Obamacare and the drilling moratorium as a U.S. congressman helped catch the eye of the state’s organization. Villere said Landry was then ranked as the fourth most conservative congressman.

“Jeff Landry’s record and actions speak truth to power,” he said. “Republicans in Louisiana recognize the need for a change in the Attorney General’s office and we know Jeff Landry will lead the office with honesty, integrity and conservative principles.”

Landry said he pledges to uphold conservative principles if elected and was proud to receive Tuesday’s endorsement.

“We’ve felt good ever since we’ve gotten in the race,” he said.

Caldwell issued a statement Tuesday saying the endorsement “doesn’t change anything.”

“We would have welcomed the endorsement, but we weren’t counting on it,” he said. “The state party has never endorsed me before, so it might have been bad luck to get it this time.”

He also took a dig at Landry: “It’s unnerving to me that the statewide Republican Party would even think about endorsing someone who has never tried a civil or criminal case in court. I’m not sure, really, what his qualifications are.”