In the race for U.S. Senate in Nebraska, Democrat Bob Kerrey received a cross-party endorsement from former senator and Republican Chuck Hagel.

Kerrey is in a heated battle with Republican state Sen. Deb Fischer to replace the retiring Democrat Sen. Ben Nelson.

CNN reports the Nebraska Democratic Party announced the former, two-term GOP senator’s endorsement Thursday.

CNN reports that a poll released Wednesday from the Omaha World-Herald showed 48% percent of likely voters in Nebraska support Fischer and 45% supported Kerrey, the former governor and U.S. senator from the state. Fischer’s advantage is within the survey’s sampling error. The last Omaha World-Herald poll showed Fischer up ten points over Kerrey indicating the race may be tightening.

For her part, Fischer picked up the endorsement of Republican senator and 2008 presidential nominee John McCain in October. The Republican U.S. Senate hopeful’s team announced Wednesday that McCain will campaign with Fischer on Friday.