Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Bob Kerrey says he's the best hope for helping Nebraska and the nation take on big problems.

His Republican opponent, Deb Fischer, says the former governor and two-term senator hasn't recognized that the state became more conservative in his absence and that Nebraskans no longer buy into his ideas.

The challenges facing Kerrey, who last ran for office 18 years ago, have not been lost on either candidate.

Fischer says the decade Kerrey spent living in New York likely hurt his chances, while Fischer -- an eight-year state senator from Valentine -- spent that time meeting Nebraska voters.

Kerrey says regardless of how Tuesday's election turns out, he doesn't regret his decision to return to Nebraska.