Here is one more in a series of recent polls showing Bob McDonnell (R) with an expanding lead against Creigh Deeds (D) in the Battle for the Commonwealth, otherwise known as the Virginia gubernatorial campaign. The Richmond Times-Dispatch poll, conducted by Mason-Dixon, finds McDonnell leading by 8 points with just more than three weeks to go in the race (Oct. 6-8, 625 LV, MoE +/- 4%).

McDonnell 48
Deeds 40
Und 12

"The poll suggests that McDonnell is heading into the final three weeks of the race largely unscathed from Deeds' continuing focus on McDonnell's controversial 1989 law-school thesis," T-D's Jeff Schapiro writes.

McDonnell now leads by 9.2 points in the RCP Average