{"id":2647646,"date":"2026-08-21T06:11:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-21T10:11:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ben-jones-actor-in-the-dukes-of-hazzard-and-congressman-dead-at-84\/"},"modified":"2026-08-21T06:14:38","modified_gmt":"2026-08-21T10:14:38","slug":"ben-jones-actor-in-the-dukes-of-hazzard-and-congressman-dead-at-84","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ben-jones-actor-in-the-dukes-of-hazzard-and-congressman-dead-at-84\/","title":{"rendered":"Ben Jones, actor in The Dukes of Hazzard and congressman, dead at 84"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fben-jones-actor-in-the-dukes-of-hazzard-and-congressman-dead-at-84%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2647646&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Ben Jones, renowned as Cooter Davenport from the 1980s TV series &#8220;The Dukes of Hazzard,&#8221; passed away on August 9 at age 84. He suffered a heart attack at his home in Virginia while waiting to watch an Atlanta Braves game, his favorite team. Jones was celebrated not only for his acting but also for his political career, serving as a Democratic Congressman from Georgia in the late 1980s and early 1990s.<\/p>\n<p>He was known for his deep connection to Southern culture, including his lifelong membership in the Sons of Confederate Veterans, and he defended the Confederate battle flag featured on the show&#8217;s iconic car, the General Lee. Jones authored a biography in 2008 detailing his personal life and career and remained closely associated with the Dukes of Hazzard brand, opening several Country stores.<\/p>\n<p>Jones\u2019s character, &#8220;Crazy Cooter,&#8221; made a meaningful cultural impact, representing a quintessential part of Americana and beloved across generations. His passing was mourned widely, with fellow actors and fans expressing their nostalgia and respect.Jones\u2019s legacy includes his contributions to entertainment, politics, and Southern heritage, leaving a lasting impression on fans and peers alike.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ben Jones, known to millions as the country boy mechanic Cooter Davenport in the 1980s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/tv\/\">television series<\/a> <em>The Dukes of Hazzard<\/em>, died on Aug. 9.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/entertainment\/4694825\/hillary-clinton-host-karaoke-night-progressives-nyc\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Hillary Clinton to host karaoke night for progressives in NYC<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/entertainment\/4694807\/us-mint-freedom-250-grand-prix-medal\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>US Mint rolls out Freedom 250 Grand Prix medal<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/entertainment\/4694687\/sean-duffy-great-american-road-trip-family-infrastructure-faith\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Sean Duffy\u2019s \u2018Great American Road Trip\u2019 highlights family, infrastructure, and faith<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His wife said on social media that Jones suffered a heart attack in his home in Washington, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/virginia\/\">Virginia<\/a>, while waiting to watch an <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/atlanta\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"1447\">Atlanta<\/a> Braves baseball game. They were his favorite team. He was 84.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before Jones would turn his acting career into a political one, he was \u201c<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/FBWXVhfTDGE?si=UypQDXdZV5o9ojXe\">Crazy Cooter<\/a>\u201d Davenport, his CB handle for all seven seasons of the series that ran from 1979 to 1985. (\u201cBreaker one, breaker one. I might be crazy but I ain\u2019t dumb. Crazy Cooter coming at you,\u201d was the character\u2019s famous refrain.)<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A constant companion and accomplice to the Duke Boys, Bo Duke (John Schneider) and Luke Duke (Tom Wopat), in fictional Hazzard County, Georgia, Cooter would try to help the family do good while navigating the corrupt Mayor Boss Hogg and his band of clumsy cops. Ever resourceful, it was often Davenport who was getting Bo and Luke out of a jam.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\">Cooter, actor Ben Jones, sits atop one of the 229 hotrods, named the General Lee, used in the show \u201cDukes of Hazzard\u201d as ecstatic fan, Aliceson Johnson, of Charlottesville, Va., sits in the drivers seat in front of his store in Sperryville, Va., Tuesday, Aug. 10, 1999. (AP Photo\/Steve Helber)<\/p>\n<p>&#8221; data-large-file=&#8221;https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2026\/08\/localimages\/Obit.082626.jpg?w=696&#8243; height=&#8221;658&#8243; width=&#8221;1024&#8243; &#8220;https:><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Cooter, played by actor Ben Jones, sits atop one of the 229 hotrods, named the General Lee, used in the show \u201cDukes of Hazzard\u201d as ecstatic fan, Aliceson Johnson, of Charlottesville, Va., sits in the drivers seat in front of his store in Sperryville, Va., Tuesday, Aug. 10, 1999. (AP Photo\/Steve Helber)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jones\u2019s character made a big impression on a then-youthful American Generation X in the show\u2019s first run and also on generations beyond when it went into syndication.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The hourlong, primetime, Southern-friendly CBS show originally surprised many industry experts when it became a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/pop-culture\/\">pop culture<\/a> phenomenon <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/lifestyle\/this-day-history-jan-26-1979-dukes-hazzard-premieres-pop-culture-hit\">averaging<\/a> about 40 million viewers on Friday nights. \u201cIt\u2019s become a permanent part of Americana, like Mickey Mouse or <em>I Love Lucy<\/em>,\u201d Jones would tell Fox News in January 2024.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Born in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/north-carolina\/\">North Carolina<\/a> and raised in Portsmouth, Virginia, Jones\u2019s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/georgia\/\">Georgia<\/a> connection went beyond Hazzard and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/baseball\/\">baseball<\/a> \u2014 he was elected to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/congress\/\">Congress<\/a> in 1988 as a Democrat serving Georgia\u2019s 4th District near Atlanta and was reelected in 1990. After being redistricted out, he ran against future House Speaker <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/newt-gingrich\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"1026\">Newt Gingrich<\/a> in 1994 but was defeated in what would become a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.history.com\/articles\/midterm-elections-1994-republican-revolution-gingrich-contract-with-america\">banner year<\/a> for the GOP.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jones used his Cooter persona in his campaigns, running as a centrist, populist Democrat.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Central to the Dukes and Jones\u2019 own Southern heritage was the controversial <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/confederate-flag\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"576\">Confederate<\/a> battle flag, which adorned the top of the General Lee, a 1969 Dodge Charger, that was basically its own character, a symbol <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/entertainment\/dukes-hazzard-congressman-ben-jones-confederate-battle-flag-not-symbolic-racism\">he defended<\/a> throughout his life. \u201cI\u2019m a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. I\u2019m also a life member of the NAACP,\u201d Jones, who in his younger years had also been part of the civil rights movement, said in 2020.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAnd then you see a Ku Klux Klansman waving a rebel flag and he likely has no teeth and no sense and they\u2019re pathetic people,\u201d Jones also noted. \u201cThey\u2019re sad people, and they p*** me off. And so yeah, they are desecrating a flag that my people died under.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOur show is the sweetest, harmless, colorblind, good guys always win, nobody gets hurt,\u201d he said of the flag\u2019s appearance on the TV program. \u201cAnd it had a huge black audience.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jones published a biography in 2008 titled <em>Redneck Boy in the Promised Land: The Confessions of \u2018Crazy Cooter\u2019<\/em> about his personal life, his experiences on the show, and in Congress.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The actor and politician always seemed to relish his character, becoming somewhat of an <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/hazzardnet\/status\/2086571331479581012\">unofficial ambassador<\/a> of the Dukes\u2019 brand until the end, opening three \u201cCooter\u2019s\u201d country stores near his home in Virginia and also in Nashville and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Fans could purchase memorabilia or even get to experience one of the many General Lee cars used in the series.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe Dukes of Hazzard lost another integral part of their cast today,\u201d Wopat of Luke Duke fame <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/Db1Ygw7AozZ\/\">posted<\/a> on his Instagram of Jones\u2019 passing. \u201cBen Jones was a fine friend and a fierce advocate of all the best things we can offer in the entertainment business.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHe will be sorely missed,\u201d Wopat added.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By more people than is probably measurable. The news of Jones\u2019s passing led some on social media to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/BenStanton77\/status\/2086630201715306669\">lament<\/a> that part of <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/NOTDaleJR88\/status\/2086610373583446526\">their childhood<\/a> had died along with him.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/premium\/4643065\/daniel-oliver-national-review-conservative-obituary\/\"><strong>DANIEL OLIVER, 1939-2026 <\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rep. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/andy-barr\/\">Andy Barr<\/a> (R-KY), the Republican nominee to replace retiring Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/mitch-mcconnell\/\">Mitch McConnell<\/a> (R-KY),\u00a0 paid tribute on X, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/RepAndyBarr\/status\/2087234979491348694\">writing<\/a>, \u201cAs an 80\u2019s kid, Congressman Ben Jones will always be \u2018Cooter\u2019 to me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To this \u201980s kid writer and, no doubt, countless others, too.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Jack Hunter (<\/em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/jackhunter74\"><em>@jackhunter74<\/em><\/a><em>)\u00a0 is the former political editor of <\/em>Rare.us<em> and co-authored the 2011 book <\/em>The Tea Party Goes to Washington<em> with Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY).<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ben Jones, \u2018Cooter\u2019 from Dukes of Hazzard, dies at 84<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3428,"featured_media":2647647,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Obit.082626.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[6107,5408,84485],"class_list":["post-2647646","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-actor","tag-congressman","tag-the-dukes-of-hazzard"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Obit.082626.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2647646","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3428"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2647646"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2647646\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2647650,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2647646\/revisions\/2647650"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2647647"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2647646"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2647646"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2647646"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}