Expected approval of the Port of Miami dredging project is being hailed as a win for the state of Florida, particularly the areas in and around Miami.

It will allow the Army Corps of Engineers to dredge the port to a depth of 50 feet, making it a viable option to handle the new Post-Panamax ships that will come through the Panama Canal when the expansion project is completed in 2014.

But one month ago, nobody could say where the additional $77 million to make it happen would come from.

As the Legislature wrapped up its first week of the 2011 session, it became clear that a bold new generation of Republican leaders is helping drive the political process in the Sunshine State.

Look at the ages of the leadership in both the Senate and the House.

Karl Rove says he's "furious."

He's furious at the president's "lies" about Obamacare.

He's still furious about Barack Obama's State of the Union address.

And the agitated Republican mastermind is banking on Florida to help turn things around in 2012.

In an exclusive interview with Sunshine State News, Rove said Floridians, along with the rest of the country, have finally awakened to a grim political and economic reality.

"Florida thought [Obama] was a centrist in 2008; 2012 will be much more competitive," he predicted.