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Ben Jones, who featured in CBS action series ‘The Dukes of Hazzard’ before serving two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, has passed away at the age of 84.
The news of his demise was announced by his wife Alma Viator via a Facebook post. Jones died from a “massive heart attack” at home while preparing to watch a baseball game on TV, as per The Hollywood Reporter.
“I lost the love of my life today. Ben passed from a massive heart attack. He was home resting in his favorite chair waiting for the Braves to come on and whoop the Yankees. Ben had the most amazing rich full life. He loved and was loved by so many. He will be missed. I loved him so so much,” read Alma’s post.
With his character, the owner of Cooter’s Garage, located in Hazzard County Square right across from the sheriff’s office, Jones appeared on 141 episodes of the Georgia-set Dukes of Hazzard, which ran for seven seasons, from January 1979 to February 1985.
Bolstered by the show’s popularity — it was No. 2 in the Nielsen ratings in 1979-80, trailing only Dallas, which followed it on Friday nights on CBS — Jones, a Democrat, ran for Congress in 1986 and lost a tight race to incumbent Pat Swindall for the seat in Georgia’s 4th congressional district, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Two years later, however, he won in a landslide after Swindall was accused of lying to a federal grand jury about his dealings with an undercover federal agent posing as a money launderer.
After redistricting took his seat, Jones was firmly defeated by Newt Gingrich in 1994, but an ethics complaint he filed against his opponent contributed to Gingrich’s resignation as House Speaker in 1998.
While living in Virginia in 2002, Jones tried again for Congress but lost to Eric Cantor, future House majority leader. Twelve years later, pundits said a letter Jones wrote to voters blasting his former opponent fueled Cantor’s shocking loss in the primaries. (ANI)
