WEB EXTRA: Larry Marvin -- Democratic Candidate for U.S. Senate

WEB EXTRA: Steve Lustgarten -- Democratic Candidate for U.S. Senate

Democrats Trying to Replace Nelson Want Level Playing Field, Chad Silber Reports

You've likely heard of the five Republicans fighting for Senator Ben Nelson's Senate seat, but it wouldn't come as a surprise if you haven't heard of the Democrats.

The group of three says it's difficult trying to get their name out.

Larry Marvin of Fremont is one of them. He says, "I think we need to speak up and stand up for our rights because America belongs to all of us."

It's a motto he's standing by as he makes the run for U.S. Senate. The Fremont Beef employee filed to run last Spring. He's looking for ways to drown out his Republican counterparts. "They're getting all the exposure and they're getting their views and they get to slam us and how do we get to slam them back for equal opportunity?"

Faced with the same challenge is Steve Lustgarten of Omaha. He threw his hat in the ring a month ago. The filmmaker is using his anger toward big political money as a motivator. "Nobody who is not a multi-millionaire can get involved in politics anymore so we have to take the super PAC money and the big money and have a genuine, legitimate campaign finance reform."

One of their biggest challenges is trying to let people know that they're actually running. A story came out, written by the Associated Press last week. It states "Nelson is not seeking re-election and no Democrat has entered the race to replace him." It's a statement that's disappointing and upsetting to both candidates.

"To say that they don't know that I'm a candidate, then I think that they're very ignorant or illiterate or they're paid by special interests to say something like that,"said Marvin.

Lustgarten says he's experience the same from the Omaha World Herald. "They suggest that there is some other legislators, regents, former lieutenant governors that might get in just because they're a potential Democratic names, but then completely leave out anybody who's actually registered, which I think is disingenuous and not really fair to the electorate,"said Lustgarten.

Both men hope their run for office will help change that culture.

The third Democratic candidate is Sherman Yates of Lincoln.

We reached out to him numerous times but he was unable to meet for an interview.

To see what platforms are important to Lustgarten and Marvin, click on the video links at the top of this article.