Harris v. Nelson, in two parts

The dueling campaigns of Rep. Katherine Harris and U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson have agreed to two debates leading up to the Nov. 7 election.

According to Nelson's campaign, which plans an official kickoff Friday, the first debate will be held at 8 p.m. Oct. 23 at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, arranged by Leadership Florida, the Florida Press Association and Florida Public Broadcasting. The hour-long debate will air from 8 to 9 p.m. on the state’s 25 public television stations.

The second hour-long debate will be hosted Nov. 1 by NBC Meet the Press moderator Tim Russert and carried live by Florida's NBC stations from the campus of the University of Central Florida beginning at 7:00 p.m.

Nelson plans to formally launch his campaign at a 4:30 p.m. event Friday at Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City with the rest of the Democratic ticket, including gubernatorial contender U.S. Rep. Jim Davis.