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Tyree Irving started his law practice in Laurel 44 years ago. Last week, he returned to encourage voters to put Mayor Johnny Magee back in office for four more years.

“He’s a good Democrat, and he has my unequivocal, whole-hearted endorsement,” Irving said from the steps of City Hall, where Magee has served as mayor for two terms.

Irving is now the chairman of the Mississippi Democratic Party. He grew up in the Delta and came to Laurel in 1977 to open his first law practice on what was then Beacon Street in 1977, he recalled. He was here for less than a year before he got the call to move to Oxford, where he became the first black assistant U.S. attorney in the state. He went on to serve 20 years on the Court of Appeals, the last eight as presiding judge, before retiring in 2018.

“I’m back to where it all started to endorse a true Democrat,” he said to a group of Magee supporters. 

Irving was active in Democratic Party politics while he was in private practice, but during his years on the bench, he had to be non-partisan, he said.

“There has to be a firewall between politics and the judiciary … all don’t honor it, but I did,” he said.

After being elected leader of the state party last year, he’s now eager to push the principles he believes in, but getting his endorsement isn’t easy, he said.

“I want to feel their pulse and do a good check on them,” Irving said. “In a couple of months, I turn 75 years old, and that gut-check has served me well … I get nothing but positive vibes from your mayor. I’m happy to encourage every Democrat in Laurel to get out to the polls and put a good person back in office.”

Magee said he was honored to get the endorsement of the state and Jones County Democratic Party and the Jones County Democratic Women. 

“I appreciate (Irving’s) careful consideration of my credentials and that he took time and did research and did a background check,” Magee said, and he encouraged everyone in attendance to “share the message of progress and growth.”

Irving also encouraged people to spread the message of the party.

“Democrats have to do a better job of explaining why they are Democrats,” he said. “Don’t be afraid to say you’re proud to be a Democrat.”

Irving grew up on a plantation, and was picking cotton and cutting down trees when he was 15, he said. He went on to graduate from Ole Miss law school and plowed new ground for people of color in several local, state and federal posts.

“Solid Democratic programs helped me along the way,” he said. “Those programs have helped a lot of people become productive citizens. I know I’ve paid a lot of taxes over the years, so it wasn’t a bad investment.”

Former state party chairman Rickey Cole of Ovett was asked to come up and say a few words. He offered a quote that was attributed to Mississippi civil rights pioneer Aaron Henry: “When we go to bed with Independents, we wake up with Republicans.”

Magee’s challengers for the June 8 race are Independents Miranda Beard, Anthony Hudson and Kim Page.

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