Democrat Bob Kerrey is getting a boost from a prominent Republican in his bid to pull ahead in Nebraska’s tight race for an open Senate seat.

A Kerrey campaign spokesman says Republican Chuck Hagel, who represented the state from 1997 to 2009, will endorse Kerrey Thursday. The two served together for four years before Kerrey left Washington in 2001.

Kerrey is locked in a tight race with Republic state Sen. Deb Fischer to replace Democrat Ben Nelson, who decided not to seek a third six-year term.