White chairs and red carpets filled the lawn between the state House of Representatives and Senate buildings Jan. 21 as lawmakers and citizens gathered witness the swearing in of Gov. Jan Brewer.

As the light tones of violins playing a Mozart symphony over a stereo system faded to snare drums and commanding trumpets, invited guests mulled across the lawn parading red "Jan Brewer" buttons and waving signs. The opinion of those present was all but unanimous and the same phrase repeated again and again: "Today is a great day for Arizona."

Republican lawmakers and party representative said Brewer would bring "a sense of realism" to the budget discussions, and allow the state to start implementing "long-overdue" fiscal policies.

"The fact of the matter is that the executive branch has been in denial for the last two years that the downturn is real and not just a 12- or 13-month blip," said Rep. Rick Murphy, a Republican from Glendale. "I am excited to finally be able to get down to business and start making the decisions needed to improve Arizona."

The newly-sworn governor is also expected to bring change to immigration policy.

"The stance on immigration we have had in the past has been pretty minimal," said Rep. David Stevens. "Brewer will do the right things."

Sen. Ron Gould, a Republican from Lake Havasu City, said he looks forward to a governor with a different view on right-to-life issues.

And some Democrats present joined in the optimism of their colleagues from the other side of the isle. Rep. Rae Waters quoted President Barrack Obama's inaugural call for unity and said she looked forward to the two parties working closely together.

"I look forward to rolling up our sleeves and moving forward," she said. "Obama is calling everyone to pull together, and I think we can learn from his example."

But Waters optimism did not fully counteract her anxiety over Brewer's record on social programs.

"People in this state have voted to fund education and health care, so it is obviously what the people of the state want," Waters said. "There are some real needs in this state, and we need to have safety nets. That is part of our job."