MARK YOUR CALENDAR — @brianstelter: “Newsom-DeSantis has a date: Fox says ‘SEAN HANNITY will moderate a red vs. blue state debate between Florida Governor and Republican presidential candidate RON DeSANTIS and Democrat California Governor GAVIN NEWSOM on November 30th.’ Location TBD in Georgia.”

WON’T BACK DOWN — Sen. BOB MENENDEZ mounted a defiant defense of himself in a news conference this morning, stating that he will not resign his seat in response to the federal indictment against the New Jersey Democrat on bribery charges.

“The allegations leveled against me are just that: allegations,” Menendez said, vowing to fight the charges, which he acknowledged would likely be his “biggest fight yet.”

“I firmly believe that when all the facts are presented, not only will I be exonerated, but I will still be New Jersey’s senior senator,” he added.

In the days since the indictment was handed down, a deluge of Democrats and elected officials have called for the 69-year-old lawmaker to step down — including a raft of New Jersey figures both past and present. Read more from our colleague Daniel Han in Union City … Video of Menendez’s remarks

The show of support: “Standing behind the senator, against a wall, were roughly two dozen people he called ‘everyday people and constituents who know me,’” NYT’s Tracey Tully writes. His wife, NADINE — who was also indicted — was not present at the news conference.

What’s next: Menendez is scheduled to appear before a federal judge in Manhattan to respond to the charges on Wednesday.

Return to sender: “Fetterman Plans to Give Back Menendez Donation In Cash-Filled Envelopes,” by The Messenger’s Dan Merica

INDEPENDENT SINEMA — Since switching her party affiliation to independent, Arizona Sen. KYRSTEN SINEMA has been quiet about whether…