Republican Ken Cuccinelli holds a slight lead over Democrat Terry McAuliffe in the gubernatorial race, according to the latest Roanoke College Institute for Policy and Opinion Research poll.

But plenty of voters still haven’t made up their minds, and the basic problem that’s plagues both candidates — Virginians’ sense they don’t really know either one — is still the biggest factor in the race.

The poll reported 34 percent of those surveyed favor Cuccinelli, compared to 29 percent for McAuliffe. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.9 percentage points.

Some 38 percent of those polled haven’t made up their minds yet, the poll reported.

There have been no real shifts in preferences since the institute’s January poll.

Other findings:

- A bare majority of 51 percent think their federal tax rate is about right, while 41 percent think it is too night. When it comes to taxing the wealthy, 39 percent think the current rate is fair, 31 percent say it is too high and 21 percent think it is too low.

- A majority, 63 percent, think the United States is on the wrong tack.

- 48 percent give a favorable rating to President Obama, while 43 percent are unafavorable.

Well, there’s lots of money in race to be Virginia’s next lieutenant governor.

It’s not that presiding over the state Senate, which is the one  job the winner would get, is all that thrilling.But being lieutenant governor can be a stepping stone to the Governor’s Mansion.

So far, in the seven way race for the GOP convention’s nod, candidates have spent or have on hand a total of $1.9 million.

The two Democrats running in the June primary have spent or have in hand $1.6 million.

A glance at their latest filings shows some interesting patterns – one of which is that some of the big money flowing in is not coming from people who have not been big givers in state politics previously.

Peter Snyder, the Northern Virginia businessman who has raised, and spent, the most to win the GOP convention’s nomination, received $15,000 from Worth Wearing LLC, a company that is not registered with the State Corporation Commission and which has not given to a Virginia candidate before.

Of his other five-figure donors, including a former Reagan-era ambassador, the president of a wall-systems firm, and an Illinois-based metal processor, only one, Property Services Inc. has given money in Virignia before – and it gave to one of Snyder’s rivals, Corey Stewart, in his successful run to be chairman of the Prince William County Supervisors.

Stewart’s one five-figure giver, John Connor, was a backer in that county race, as well.

Roanoke retiree Peter L. Via, who gave a total of $50,000 to the firey E.W. Jackson, is a newcomer to state political giving, according to the Virginia Public Access Project. He has been active in federal campaigns, though, giving a total of $109,000 in the 2012 election cycle, all to GOP candidates or committees.

Del. Scott Lingamfelter’s  biggest givers may look familiar. Richmond business magnates Bruce Gottwald and William H. Goodwin Jr. have long been big players in central Virginia politics.

Jeannemarie Davis received $100,000 from her husband, former Rep. Tom Davis. She also received $50,000 from the Main Street Advocacy Fund, and $20,000 from Main Street Virginia Political Action Committee.  She also received $10,000 from Mythics Inc., a company which last gave money in 2005, to Bob McDonnell’s run for attorney general.

State Sen. Steve Martin’s biggest donor is his own senate campaign fund, for a toal of $6,300. Martin is the only one of the seven whose spending and current war chest is less than six figures. He has spent and now has on hand just $32,000.

Susan Stimpson, chairwoman of the Stafford County Board of Supervisors, like Martin, has had no five-figure givers. Of the seven people or companies that gave $5,000, four have given to other Virginia races. Two, Harry H. Hunt III, of Blacksburg and Old Potomac LLC, which recently won a green light for a 54 acre medical office complex from the Stafford County board, also gave $5,000 to Corey Stewart.

Democratic hopeful Ralph Northam is using $240,000 from his state senate campaign fund and his own resources.

Aneesh Chopra is using $44,000 from his exploratory campaign’s fund, and has received $25,000 each Northern Virginia tech businessman Michael Saylor, who has given to Democrats in the past, and Charlottesville hedge fund manager Ted Weschler, another Democratic giver. The five other donors who’ve given five-figure sums are all newcomers to state political giving.

Following the money that comes into, and flows out of, local legislators’ campaign warchests, it looks like some local donations end up helping politicians outside the area. We asked what’s going on, and what we found is here.

Democrat Terry McAuliffe spent the most, and raised the most, in the race to become Virginia’s next governor during the first three months of the year.

McAuliffe raised $5.1 million and spent $994,000, well above Republican Ken Cuccinelli’s $2.4 million funding raising effort and $594,000 of spending.

With the money each had raised before the start of the year, that leaves war chests of $5.2 million for McAuliffe and just under $3 million for Cuccinelli, according to campaign finance reports compiled by the Virginia Public Access Project.

The big spender in the seven-way race for the Republican nomination to be lieutenant governor, to be decided at the party convention next month, was Northern Virginia businessman Peter Snyder.

He spend $506,000 during the quarter.

Prince William County Supervisor Corey Stewart spent $189,000 and Jeannemarie Davis, a former delegate and state Senator from Northern Virginia spent $187,000. Del. Scott Lingamfelter, R-Prince William, spent $146,500, Stafford County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman  Susan Stimpson spend $103,000, Norfolk pastor Earl Jackson spent $100,000 and state Sen. Steve Martin, R-Chesterfield, spent $29,500.

The Democratic contenders, who are running in a primary, are also spending big: Aneesh Chopra spent $245,000 and state Sen. Ralph Northam, D-Norfolk, $142,500.

For the two Republicans seeking their party’s nod as candidate for Attorney General, the spending totals are: $284,500 for Del. Robert Bell, R-Albemarle County and $170,000 for state Sen. Mark Obenshain, R-Harrisonburg. State Sen. Mark Herring, D-Leesburg, spent $122,000 on his bid for the Democratic nomination, while former assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Fairfax spent $163,000.

Legislative candidates’ first campaign finance reports of the year are in. Here’s the rundown  – and promise of more in tomorrow’s Roanoke Times:

In the contested 17^th district, where there’ll be a rematch of Del. Chris Head, R-Botetourt, and Democratic challenger Freeda Cathcart, Head raised $10,743 between Jan. 1 and March 31, giving him a warchest of $29,569. He spent $72,000 in the 2011 race.

Freeda Cathcart, D., raised $17,622 so far this year. This exceeds the $16,141 she spent in the 2011 race. She has $14,452 on hand.

Here’s the rest:

Del. Ben Cline. R-Rockbridge County: raised $15,321, funds on hand $51,040

Del Greg Habeeb, R-Salem: raised $13,070, funds on hand $54,769

Charles Poindexter, R-Franklin County: raised $3,406, funds on hand $8,072

Onzlee Ware, D-Roanoke: raised $1,000, funds on hand $11,099

Joseph Yost, R-Blacksburg: raised $13,038, funds on hand $11,303

In the 6^th district, Jack Weaver, who hopes to be the Republican nominee to succeed the retiring Anne Crockett-Stark, reported a fund balance of $47. The Virginia Public Access Project, which compiles data filed with the State Board of Election, has no reports from two others who have said they want to run, Democrat Jonathan McGrady and Republican Jeff Campbell.

Del. Lacey Putney, I-Bedford, who decided to retire after 52 years in the House of Delegates, raised $3,606 during the first quarter and has  a campaign fund of $54,433. The five candidates seeking the GOP nomination have not had to file reports yet.

One-by-one, hopefuls for three Roanoke County Board of Supervisors seats Monday submitted their financial disclosure reports, showing the cash they have raised and spent so far in their campaigns.

The money came from all sorts: personal loans, out-of-state entrepreneurs, a hot dog restaurateur, even a tree surgeon. All told, the six candidates have raised more than $15,000 since January 1.

Hollins District

Topping the list of candidates and his own Hollins district, Republican Mike Bailey reported raising $5,630 – about a fifth of which came from the Business Leadership Fund, a Roanoke-based group that spent more than $23,000 in last year’s city council and mayoral races.

Bailey spent $2,378 to purchase signs, postage stamps and other items to propel his campaign forward.

His direct competitor for that district’s GOP nomination, Republican Al Bedrosian, raised $2,822 and spent all but $11 of it.

The sole Independent in that race, Gary Jarrell, raised $200. His race will intensify later in the year, after the May 11 Fire House Primary, and in the months before November.

Windsor Hills District

In the Windsor Hills district, Republican RoxAnne Christley leads the pack in campaign contributions and personal loan money. Since Jan. 1, Christley has raised $3,980 in donations. According the disclosure reports, she also took out a loan of just under $7,000 to help fuel her efforts.

Of all the candidates, her sources for her contributions were the most geographically diverse. Money trickled in from as far south as Blacksburg and as far north as Maryland. She got $250 from Susan Stimpson, who is currently running in the Lieutenant Governor race.

Christley’s expenditures – which sit just over $2,500 – include investments in office supplies, a campaign database, and a car rental to go to “campaign school” in Richmond.

Christley is racing against fellow Republican and former supervisor Joe McNamara for the GOP nomination in that district. According to his records, McNamara took out a $2,700 loan for the race and has raised $1,400. The Business Leadership Fund and the Roanoke County Republican Party contributed to his campaign.

Supervisor Ed Elswick, an Independent running to keep his seat on the board, has raised $916.

Vinton District

The lone candidate for the Vinton District seat, Jason Peters, reported having $750 in cash on hand after taking out a loan for $1,150 and spending $400 of that on his campaign.

Zachary Hatcher

Botetourt County businessman and pastor Zachary Hatcher has joined the race to be the Republican nominee for the 19th House of Delegate District seat.

Hatcher is the fifth person seeking the party’s nod in the race to succeed the area’s legislator for the past half-century, Lacey Putney, I-Bedford. The Constitution Party is also running a candidate.

David Ress of The Roanoke Times has more on the story here; we also have more on our Botetourt County community news site.

The district covers virtually all of Botetourt, and parts of Bedford County and Alleghany County.

Former Gov. George Allen is endorsing Zach Martin in his bid to represent the 19th House of Delegates district.

Martin is in a four-way race for the Republican nomination for seat, held now by Lacey Putney, I-Bedford. Putney is retiring after 52 years in the legislature.

Allen praised Martin for “his genuine commitment to our core, common sense conservative principles and an accountable, efficient government approach.”

He said he believed Martin would “stand firm for lower taxes, reining in wasteful spending, productive energy and pro-job growth solutions while remaining true to our core, conservative values.”

Gov. Bob McDonnell

Gov. Bob McDonnell has issued the following statement:

Governor Bob McDonnell issued the following statement this evening following news of explosions at the Boston Marathon. The governor is currently in China on a trade mission. Chief of Staff Martin Kent briefed the governor by phone about this developing situation.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Boston, and with marathon participants and attendees from around the country and the world, including many from here in Virginia, following the tragic events of this afternoon. There are no words that can properly express our grief and our concern. I have asked members of our Administration to immediately offer any and all assistance that Virginia can provide to Massachusetts in the days ahead. This is a sad day, but America is the strongest and greatest nation the world has ever known. When we face tragedy, we respond with unity, courage and resilience. We’ve seen that already this afternoon, from the very first reactions to this event. I know we will continue to see that kind of response from Boston in the days and weeks ahead. Virginia stands ready to help our friends in Massachusetts in any way possible.”

Jerry Johnson has withdrawn as a candidate for the Republican nomination for the House of Delegates and instead is backing Jim McKelvey. In the process, he took a swipe at one of his rival candidates, Buchanan District Supervisor Terry Austin.

The seat is the one now held by Del. Lacey Putney, I-Bedford, who has announced his retirement. The district covers almost all of Botetourt, and parts of Alleghany and Bedford counties.

Also running for the seat are Buchanan District Supervisor Terry Austin, GOP activist Jim Crosby of Daleville, former chairman of the 19th District Republican Committee; Moneta businessman Jim McKelvey, who made an unsuccessful bid for the Republican nomination in the 2010 5th Congressional District race; and Zach Martin, a 25-year-old Liberty University graduate.

The nomination will be determined in a firehouse primary on May 7.

We have a statement from Johnson here. In his withdrawal, he also takes a swipe at Austin.