Debate Begins with Charlie Crist Attacking 'Extreme Right'

On Wednesday evening, the three leading candidates in the U.S. Senate race debated each other -- with both Gov. Charlie Crist, who is running without party affiliation, and Democratic U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek trying to catch Republican front-runner, former House Speaker Marco Rubio.

Hosted by George Stephanopoulos of ABC News, the debate was held in Orlando and broadcast by WFTV in Orlando and WFTS in Tampa. It was also held online through ABCNews.com and Facebook.

Crist started the debate with an opening statement, attacking both parties but focusing on the Republicans.

There is an extreme right faction in the Republican Party, said Crist -- who argued that the extreme right pushed restrictive abortion laws as well as pushing SB 6, a measure to reform teacher performance pay. Crist blew off Meeks chances, saying he was the only candidate who could win. Im the one candidate who can crash the tea party.

In his opening comments, Meek bashed Rubio and Crist for supporting the special interests and insisting he was the one candidate who stood against offshore drilling.

Rubio praised America but warned that current policies in Washington were leading to crippling debt, noting that the national debt would double in five years. We must confront the challenges of our time, he said. And thats what this election is all about.