Republican Sen. Deb Fischer defeated independent challenger Dan Osborn, clinging to a Senate seat in deep-red Nebraska after a surprisingly competitive raceAssociated Press Projects.

Nebraska has two Senate elections in 2024, the other being a special election in which Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts easily defeated his Democratic challenger. But in the race for Fischer’s seat, Democrats declined to field a candidate, hoping instead to boost Osborn’s chances.

Osborn, 49, a former union leader and Navy veteran who never held elected office, said he has always been registered as nonpartisan. He also refused support from the Democratic Party.

Fischer, 73, has been in the Senate since 2013 and began her political career in the Nebraska state Legislature in 2005. But she has been hampered by low approval ratings heading into the 2024 elections and faced a surprisingly strong challenger in a state generally dominated by Republicans.

Osborn ran on lower taxes for the middle class and small business owners, as well as campaigning on the need for a secure border. He has also spoken out against a national ban on abortion, touted his support for gun rights and believes marijuana should be legalized.

The race attracted significant national attention when polls indicated that the contest was going to be closer than could have reasonably been expected before this year.

Never miss a story: subscribe to PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up to date with the best of what PEOPLE has to offer.

Fischer won his last race in 2018 with more than 57% of the vote, while his Democratic opponent failed to even reach 40%. But the lack of a Democratic candidate in 2024 has allowed Osborn to try to consolidate both Democratic support and voters who disapproved of Fischer’s leadership in his long-shot bid.

The 2024 Senate map has been seen as Republican-friendly, with Democrats forced to defend their seats in red states like Ohio and Montana while clinging to a slim majority.

But the unexpectedly close race in Nebraska has made life a little more difficult for the Republican Senate in a state that hasn’t had a non-Republican U.S. senator since 2013, when Democrat Ben Nelson retired. His seat was eventually taken by Fischer.