Peter Lombardo, former Republican candidate for atate attorney, on Tuesday endorsed Democrat John Torraco for state attorney.

“I ask my fellow Republicans and members of all political parties to look past politics and vote for John Torraco for state attorney,” Lombardo said in a news release issued by Torraco's campaign. “This race affects us all and will have an immediate effect on our safety and security. John Torraco has the experience necessary to turn around the failures and reputation of our state attorney’s Office.”

Torraco also touted the endorsement at a news conference in Sarasota.

Lombardo in August lost the GOP primary to Assistant State Attorney Ed Brodsky, who is now running against Torraco.

Lombardo said he is endorsing all the other candidates on the Republican ticket.

“Ed Brodsky is a threat to the public safety of our community,” Lombardo said in the statement. “The people of Sarasota, Manatee and DeSoto Counties deserve far better. From low conviction rates to shocking failures at keeping dangerous criminals behind bars, Ed Brodsky is at the core of the dysfunction and mismanagement of the current state attorney’s Office.”

“I am honored to receive Peter Lombardo’s endorsement,” Torraco said in the statement. “Peter Lombardo’s career as a prosecutor and his time spent in the state attorney’s office has given him an insider’s perspective into the shortcomings of Ed Brodsky and his state attorney’s office. The people of the 12th Judicial Circuit deserve a state attorney who will stop wasting their tax dollars, and will put justice before politics.”