Virginia gubernatorial nominee Bob McDonnell's 14-point lead in the Public Policy Polling's survey one month ago has been cut in half. PPP's new survey finds the Republican leading Democrat Creigh Deeds by 7 points (Aug. 28-31, 596 RV, MoE +/- 4.0%).

The survey was conducted over the last four days -- the last two days of the campaign have been filled with discussion about a graduate school thesis McDonnell wrote 20 years ago, which was reported in a front page Washington Post story on Sunday.

McDonnell's favorable rating is unchanged from last month (54% down to 53%), though his unfavorable rating is up 5 points (26% to 31%). Deeds's favorable and unfavorable ratings are both up.

McDonnell 49 (-2 vs. last poll, Aug. 4)
Deeds 42 (+5)
Und 9 (-3)

McDonnell leads by 9.5 points in the RCP Average for Virginia Governor