There are important stories in regional papers today that touch on something that has been happening behind closed doors and is now starting to become public: clashing between state parties and the McCain campaign in two key states.



In Florida, the differences between Gov. Charlie Crist's state party and the McCain campaign have for weeks been an open secret among the political class.



Now comes word, via the St. Pete Times' Adam Smith, that the Florida GOP is holding back some of its money for the next cycle.



"State party officials announced to their state executive committee Saturday that they expect to carry over at least $2 million into 2009, rather than spend all their money on this election."



The news came on the same day that Crist was explaining why he hadn't appeared in any ads for McCain in the state.



''I haven't been asked,'' Crist explained to the Miami Herald's Mary Ellen Klas.



Up I-95, in Virginia, it isn't much better.



Party Chairman Jeff Frederick was rebuked by McCain for likening Obama to Osama bin Laden last week. And when McCain was in Frederick's backyard for a rally in Prince William County yesterday — he's also a state legislator — the chairman had no role in the program.



But the problem in Virginia began well before Frederick's gaffe. Veteran Virginia Republicans don't think much of McCain's organization and were dumbfounded as to why it took them so long to bring the candidate and his running mate back into the state. Likewise, McCain aides are annoyed at what they see as provincialism among Virginia Republicans and some of Frederick's off-message comments about the campaign.



To wit, the Richmond Times-Dispatch's Jeff E. Schapiro's Sunday column:



"The chatter over Frederick's tense relationship with McCain also continues. Frederick's apparent frustrations with McCain seem to reflect those of conservatives in general. The feelings must be mutual.



"In an e-mail to Frederick after the latest dust-up, the McCain team warned, 'Come on, man, this [expletive] has got to stop.'"

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