Pundits predicted a verbal brawl, and at times, that's what the three leading candidates in the U.S. Senate race delivered. In the first get-down-to-business October debate Wednesday night. No Party Affiliate Gov. Charlie Crist and Democrat Kendrick Meek went after Republican Marco Rubio, aiming to dislodge him as the race's runaway leader.

Marco Rubio gives his verdict on the debate with Charlie Crist and Kendrick Meek. He also speaks on the RPOF audit and what it means for his controversial spending accusations.

Even as polls continue to show a neck-and-neck sprint to the finish, personal attacks -- not an explanation of platforms -- dominated Tuesday night's debate between the two top Democratic U.S. Senate candidates, U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek and billionaire financier Jeff Greene.

Health-care executive Rick Scott and Attorney General Bill McCollum, the two leading candidates in a bitterly contested battle for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, probably did little to enlighten Florida voters during a Tampa-TV debate Thursday evening.

As "Fox News Sunday" moderator Chris Wallace pointed out, Gov. Charlie Crist and former Speaker of the House Marco Rubio most certainly are locked in a heated primary battle for the GOP Senate nomination in Florida. Wallace moderated a 42-minute debate between the two, after which the Sunshine State News staff asked for reaction.

Here's how some Floridians -- admittedly, not all objective observers going in -- responded as soon as the debate ended:

Will Sunday's Fox News showdown between U.S. Senate candidates Gov. Charlie Crist and Marco Rubio be fair and balanced?

Both men are telegenic and smooth -- even slippery in the best political tradition -- and neither camp is losing an opportunity to frame the impact of "Fox News Sunday With Chris Wallace," which will air live from Fox News' Washington, D.C. bureau (check local listings for times).