VALENTINE, Neb. - The U.S. Senate race in Nebraska is drawing national attention, with outlets like CBS calling it "unexpectedly competitive." Independent Dan Osborn is trying to unseat two-term Republican Senator Deb Fischer, and recent polls suggest a close contest.

However, Fischer has said she would not debate Osborn. That's why Osborn is dubbing some of his campaign stops, including one Monday in Valentine, as debates with an empty seat.

“Debating is as old as apple pie and baseball. People deserve to know how we stand on the issues and how we interact with each other,” said Osborn.

News Channel Nebraska reached out to Senator Fischer ahead of Monday’s event to ask if she would attend. Her staff confirmed she would not, stating, "This is just an Osborn campaign event."

“People also deserve to know if they don’t already that she’s refusing to hold a debate,” said Osborn.

While Senator Fischer wasn’t present, News Channel Nebraska caught up with her by phone, asking both candidates about key issues. First, their stance on a national abortion ban:

“You know that two-thirds of Americans want to limit abortion, but I believe that life is best protected at the state level. That’s where it is now,” said Fischer.

“I would bring it back to the way we’ve done it for the last 50 years on the federal level—codifying Roe vs. Wade,” said Osborn.

Next, we asked about the controversy surrounding Brown University’s report claiming a record-breaking almost $18 billion in U.S. aid has been sent to Israel over the past year.

“We need to support Israel. I’m adamant in that. They are the only democracy in the Middle East. They are a sovereign country. They need to protect their borders, just as we in the United States should be securing our borders,” said Fischer.

“We should definitely not send troops, boots on the ground, but they’re our allies.  Everybody around would like to see them completely annihilated from the face of the Earth. I think it’s our responsibility as Americans to protect our allies around the globe,” said Osborn.

Issues Osborn wishes could be debated face-to-face.

“Who gets flustered and who doesn’t—I think those kinds of things are important, and people deserve to know,” said Osborn.