Veterans group launches ad in Nebraska Senate race

Yet another outside group is jumping into the fight for Nebraska Senate, this time in favor of Democrat Bob Kerrey, as Kerrey seems to be surging in a race that, until recently, looked like a probable win for the Republican.

VoteVets Action Fund is airing an ad highlighting Republican Deb Fischer's involvement in a local land dispute -- an attack launched earlier this month by Kerrey's campaign that seems to have taken hold.

"Bob Kerrey fought to protect our land. Deb Fischer fought to take land that wasn’t hers. Ask Deb Fischer if your land is next," a voiceover says.

Fischer sued a local Nebraska family over land boundaries in 1995, and though the family won the case, the suit cost them $40,000 in legal fees. Kerrey's campaign has run emotionally-tinged ads featuring residents of the area condemning Fischer for her role in the dispute.

And that attack may be helping Kerrey to a last-minute surge. A recent Omaha World-Herald poll showed him just 3 percentage points behind Fischer, with her support dropping 7 percentage points since the last poll, in September. She now has 49 percent support to Kerrey's 46 percent support.

Kerrey is also rolling out the endorsement of former Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel, a well-known and well-respected figure in Nebraska politics.

His newfound strength has sparked a sudden influx of outside spending from both sides, with Republicans attempting to shore up their chances in Fischer and Democrats seeing a potential opening.

VoteVets is also launching an ad in Ohio, backed by $200,000, and expanding its recent joint buy with the United Food and Commercial Workers in Virginia by $750,000. Both of those ads return to what is typically VoteVets' focus: Veterans' issues, and how the Republican in the race would be detrimental to them.

---