Axios

Republicans plan to use their first-ever midterm convention in Dallas next month to mount a sweeping, made-for-prime-time case that Democrats have become captive to their activist left, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: With President Trump's approval rating in the 30s and his war in Iran weighing on the economy, Republicans don't want the Nov. 3 midterms to be just a referendum on his presidency.

Americans across the country could have very different experiences with AI deepfakes leading up to Election Day, thanks to a patchwork of state rules.

Why it matters: AI-generated attack ads and campaign content are rampant leading up to the midterms as candidates across the political spectrum use the technology.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is waging an unprecedented economic war on Cuba — and wants to make sure the island's communist leaders know it's going to get worse.

• "What we're trying to teach them is there are no escape valves," Rubio told Axios.

Why it matters: Cuba's economy is in a state of slow-motion collapse because of crushing U.S. sanctions and communist mismanagement of the island, which prides itself as the hemisphere's chief foe of the superpower 90 miles to its north.