{"id":36940,"date":"2026-08-10T18:21:36","date_gmt":"2026-08-10T13:21:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=36940"},"modified":"2026-08-10T18:21:36","modified_gmt":"2026-08-10T13:21:36","slug":"ben-jones-cooter-on-the-dukes-of-hazzard-and-former-congressman-dies-at-84","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=36940","title":{"rendered":"Ben Jones, Cooter on \u2018The Dukes of Hazzard\u2019 and former congressman, dies at 84"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p id=\"anchor-5e5250\" class=\"body-graf\">Ben Jones, the man known as both Cooter from \u201cThe Dukes of Hazzard\u201d television series and a former U.S. congressman from Georgia, died Sunday. <\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-cd14e3\" class=\"body-graf\">He was 84. <\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-3e297a\" class=\"body-graf\">Jones died after a heart attack in his home in Virginia, his wife, Alma Viator, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/photo?fbid=10164904834969802&amp;set=a.10151583078464802\" target=\"_blank\">said on Facebook<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-3e04fa\" class=\"body-graf\">\u201cI lost the love of my life today. Ben passed from a massive heart attack,\u201d Viator wrote in her post Sunday evening. \u201cHe was home resting in his favorite chair waiting for the Braves to come on and whoop the Yankees.\u201d <\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-e813de\" class=\"body-graf\">Viator said, \u201cBen 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.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"styles_inlineImage__FvnTh styles_medium__MEKii\" id=\"anchor-6e5e2f\"><picture class=\"styles_image__i32F7\" data-testid=\"picture\" data-flavor=\"fit\" data-original-height=\"1686\" data-original-width=\"2500\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-560w,f_avif,q_auto:eco,dpr_2\/rockcms\/2026-08\/260810-ben-jones-3-rs-78a708.jpg 2x, https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-560w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-08\/260810-ben-jones-3-rs-78a708.jpg 1x\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 320px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_avif,q_auto:eco,dpr_2\/rockcms\/2026-08\/260810-ben-jones-3-rs-78a708.jpg 2x, https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-08\/260810-ben-jones-3-rs-78a708.jpg 1x\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-08\/260810-ben-jones-3-rs-78a708.jpg\" alt=\"Dukes Of Hazzard\" height=\"1686\" width=\"2500\"\/><\/picture><figcaption class=\"caption styles_caption__TCewG\" data-testid=\"caption\"><span class=\"caption__container\" data-testid=\"caption__container\">From left, actors John Schneider, Tom Wopat and Jones in &#8216;The Dukes of Hazzard&#8221; TV series  in 1983.<\/span><span class=\"caption__source\" data-testid=\"caption__source\">Fotos International \/ Hulton Archive via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"anchor-d50828\" class=\"body-graf\">Tom Wopat, one of Jones\u2019 \u201cThe Dukes of Hazzard\u201d co-stars, also shared the news in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/Db1Ygw7AozZ\/\" target=\"_blank\">post on Instagram<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-dd2db0\" class=\"body-graf\">\u201cThe Dukes of Hazzard lost another integral part of their cast today,\u201d Wopat said. \u201cBen Jones was a fine friend and a fierce advocate of all the best things we can offer in the entertainment business. He will be sorely missed\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"styles_inlineImage__FvnTh styles_medium__MEKii styles_portrait__NEQhG\" id=\"anchor-b6445c\"><picture class=\"styles_image__i32F7\" data-testid=\"picture\" data-flavor=\"fit\" data-original-height=\"3428\" data-original-width=\"2500\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-560w,f_avif,q_auto:eco,dpr_2\/rockcms\/2026-08\/260810-ben-jones-4-rs-583bf6.jpg 2x, https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-560w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-08\/260810-ben-jones-4-rs-583bf6.jpg 1x\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 320px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_avif,q_auto:eco,dpr_2\/rockcms\/2026-08\/260810-ben-jones-4-rs-583bf6.jpg 2x, https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-08\/260810-ben-jones-4-rs-583bf6.jpg 1x\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-08\/260810-ben-jones-4-rs-583bf6.jpg\" alt=\"Ben Jones\" height=\"3428\" width=\"2500\"\/><\/picture><figcaption class=\"caption styles_caption__TCewG\" data-testid=\"caption\"><span class=\"caption__container\" data-testid=\"caption__container\">Jones as Cooter with Flash the dog in  &#8220;The Dukes of Hazzard&#8221; in 1984.<\/span><span class=\"caption__source\" data-testid=\"caption__source\">Marianne Barcellona \/ Getty Images file<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"anchor-d4b123\" class=\"body-graf\">Jones was cast in \u201cThe Dukes of Hazzard\u201d in the late 1970s and remained a main cast member until the show\u2019s conclusion in 1985. <\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-f3c038\" class=\"body-graf\">Shortly after, he launched a run for the U.S. House of Representatives in 1985 as a Democrat, challenging Republican Pat Swindall, who narrowly won the election in 1986. <\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-ce4dfe\" class=\"body-graf\">The pair faced off again for Georgia\u2019s 4th Congressional District in 1988. This time, Jones was victorious after Swindall was indicted on charges of perjury. <\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-3a9338\" class=\"body-graf\">Jones won again in 1990 and served in that seat for two terms. His seat was redrawn, and he lost the 1994 election to Newt Gingrich. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"styles_inlineImage__FvnTh styles_medium__MEKii styles_portrait__NEQhG\" id=\"anchor-1c9bfc\"><picture class=\"styles_image__i32F7\" data-testid=\"picture\" data-flavor=\"fit\" data-original-height=\"3745\" data-original-width=\"2500\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-560w,f_avif,q_auto:eco,dpr_2\/rockcms\/2026-08\/260810-ben-jones-5-rs-8c0bbe.jpg 2x, https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-560w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-08\/260810-ben-jones-5-rs-8c0bbe.jpg 1x\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 320px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_avif,q_auto:eco,dpr_2\/rockcms\/2026-08\/260810-ben-jones-5-rs-8c0bbe.jpg 2x, https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-08\/260810-ben-jones-5-rs-8c0bbe.jpg 1x\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-08\/260810-ben-jones-5-rs-8c0bbe.jpg\" alt=\"Ben Jones\" height=\"3745\" width=\"2500\"\/><\/picture><figcaption class=\"caption styles_caption__TCewG\" data-testid=\"caption\"><span class=\"caption__container\" data-testid=\"caption__container\">Jones in front of the U.S. Capitol in 1989.<\/span><span class=\"caption__source\" data-testid=\"caption__source\">Marianne Barcellona \/ Getty Images file<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"anchor-23e5ed\" class=\"body-graf\">After his stint in Congress, Jones returned to the screen, appearing in a number of \u201cThe Dukes of Hazzard\u201d reunion shows and other specials. He also had roles in \u201cPrimary Colors\u201d in 1998 and \u201cJoe Gould\u2019s Secret\u201d in 2000. <\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-ab3070\" class=\"body-graf\">In 1999, Jones and Viator moved to Virginia, where they opened Cooter\u2019s, a museum and shop dedicated to \u201cThe Dukes of Hazzard.\u201d <\/p>\n<figure class=\"styles_inlineImage__FvnTh styles_medium__MEKii\" id=\"anchor-aa9834\"><picture class=\"styles_image__i32F7\" data-testid=\"picture\" data-flavor=\"fit\" data-original-height=\"1667\" data-original-width=\"2500\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1000px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-560w,f_avif,q_auto:eco,dpr_2\/rockcms\/2026-08\/260810-ben-jones-rs-a8a34e.jpg 2x, https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-560w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-08\/260810-ben-jones-rs-a8a34e.jpg 1x\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 320px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_avif,q_auto:eco,dpr_2\/rockcms\/2026-08\/260810-ben-jones-rs-a8a34e.jpg 2x, https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-08\/260810-ben-jones-rs-a8a34e.jpg 1x\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-08\/260810-ben-jones-rs-a8a34e.jpg\" alt=\"Ben &quot;Cooter&quot; Jones\" height=\"1667\" width=\"2500\"\/><\/picture><figcaption class=\"caption styles_caption__TCewG\" data-testid=\"caption\"><span class=\"caption__container\" data-testid=\"caption__container\">Jones, outside the Supreme Court in 2015.<\/span><span class=\"caption__source\" data-testid=\"caption__source\">Bill Clark \/ CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images file<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"anchor-e45eed\" class=\"body-graf\">In 2007, Jones released his memoir, \u201cRedneck Boy in the Promised Land,\u201d in which he discussed his struggles with alcoholism. <\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor-07d739\" class=\"endmark body-graf\">In 2015, he made headlines when he announced his support for the Confederate flag, which served as a symbol on the main car in \u201cThe Dukes of Hazzard,\u201d after Warner Bros. said it would no longer manufacture merchandise featuring the flag symbol. At the time, he penned an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/roomfordebate\/2015\/06\/19\/does-the-confederate-flag-breed-racism\/the-confederate-flag-is-a-matter-of-pride-and-heritage-not-hatred\" target=\"_blank\">essay<\/a> in The New York Times defending his position. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ben Jones, the man known as both Cooter from \u201cThe Dukes of Hazzard\u201d television series and a former U.S. congressman from Georgia, died Sunday. He was 84. Jones died after a heart attack in his home in Virginia, his wife, Alma Viator, said on Facebook. \u201cI lost the love of my life today. Ben passed&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":36941,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_nbcnews-fp-1200-630,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2026-08\/260810-ben-jones-2-rs-43a5b5.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-36940","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-hub"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36940","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=36940"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36940\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/36941"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=36940"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=36940"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=36940"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}