Landry is definitely going to be a tough contender against incumbent Buddy Caldwell this fall, though most of the talk surrounding the AG campaign is about whether John Kennedy will give up his safe seat as state treasurer to get into the race.

Kennedy is sitting on what looks like more than $4 million, built up through the years when he’s barely had to run a race for re-election in his current job. Landry reeled in a million bucks in less than a year as a challenger…

Former U.S. Representative, small businessman, and attorney Jeff Landry is announcing today that his campaign has more than $1 million in campaign cash-on-hand going into this election year.

The breakdown of this impressive fundraising haul will be available when the campaign files its disclosure report prior to the February 15 deadline.

“Despite donors being engaged in the very contested Congressional races last year – our campaign has received overwhelming support from Louisiana residents and businesses who want their families, freedoms, and the rule of law protected,” said campaign manager Millard Mule. “With just over 10 months until Election Day, our campaign is building the momentum and resources needed to be victorious.”

“I am humbled and grateful for this support,” said Landry, “Our campaign continues to build momentum.  People realize we need honest, conservative leadership in the Attorney General’s office.” 

Landry raised nearly $4 million in his previous campaigns for Congress.

Back in September, the Times-Picayune had a piece on Landry’s famous alligator-hunt fundraisers, from which he’s had a lot of success…

So the alligator-hunting fundraiser that the one-time congressman started four years ago has transitioned into a attempt to drum up cash for the attorney general’s race. This weekend’s event was expected to raise tens of thousands of dollars for Landry. He let The Associated Press get a peak at the event Friday afternoon.

“Everybody knows that Jeff Landry is a very tenacious campaigner who can raise a lot of money. So if I was Buddy Caldwell, I certainly would be concerned,” said Pearson Cross, head of the political science department at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

An hour away from Baton Rouge, Landry’s camp provides visitors with cooks that feed them crawfish etouffee, rib-eye steaks, fried frog legs, meat pies, boiled shrimp and, of course, alligator. A bartender worked a fully-stocked bar, and beer was stacked up in coolers.

Want to shoot an alligator? Landry said he charges $5,000 for the guided hunt.

“Jeff Landry for president!” U.S. Rep. Todd Rokita of Indiana joked as he walked up in shorts, with a cigar in hand.

Rokita said he’s been at the alligator fundraiser since its inception. “Our little crew brought $30,000 for Jeff Landry from Indiana, because we believe he’s good for the country,” Rokita said.

What’s Caldwell sitting on? After all, he’s not only the incumbent but he’s a favorite of many of the big trial firms, to whom he’s shuttled business in a fairly obvious pay-for-play scheme. But so far we don’t know what he has; Caldwell hasn’t released his numbers as of the end of the year yet.