Surrounded by family and loved ones, the six Republican officials whom local voters waved into office earlier this month raised their hands and took their oaths of office Tuesday at a swearing in ceremony at the Cullman Civic Center.

Introduced by U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville), himself a returning incumbent, all four members of the local legislative delegation, as well as Cullman County’s two associate commissioners, were sworn in Tuesday.

On the legislative side, newly-minted Alabama Sen. Garlan Gudger and new Alabama House Rep. Scott Stadthagen joined returning House incumbents Rep. Randall Shedd and Corey Harbison in taking the oath. Incumbents Kerry Watson and Garry Marchman also renewed their oaths for another elected term on the Cullman County Commission.

In a show of unity, Shedd assembled the new-look legislative delegation onstage near the ceremony’s end, promising the group would work as a team to bring state and federal dollars to the Cullman area, while cooperating with local governments and other community agencies to strengthen Cullman County and its cities and towns.