Dukes Of Hazzard Star Ben Jones Had An Unexpected Post-Show Second Act

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The following article includes mentions of addiction.

Every week on "The Dukes of Hazzard," Bo and Luke Duke had to race through the backroads of Hazzard County, Georgia, in their unmistakable orange 1969 Dodge Charger to escape from the grasp of dirty cop J.D. "Boss" Hogg. All of this was sure to take a toll on the car's inner workings, which is where Ben Jones' Cooter Davenport came in handy. As a mechanic, Cooter kept the car running, ensuring those Duke boys could get out of any mess. But when the series ended in 1985, Jones used his name recognition to start a new career: a representative in the United States Congress for Georgia's 4th Congressional District.

Jones first ran for office in 1985, barely losing to Republican Pat Swindall. His second run in 1988, which saw him facing Swindall again, proved successful, and Jones joined fellow former TV star Fred Grandy – who was part of the cast of "The Love Boat" — in the House of Representatives. Jones went on to serve two terms in Congress, acting as the Democratic whip and serving on the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. In 1991, Jones joined Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Rep. John Miller on a trip to China where they snuck in a banner reading. "To those who died for democracy in China," memorializing the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. During the demonstration, Jones spoke out, saying (per Los Angeles Times), "These three flowers symbolize liberty, justice and democracy. Those who died here on June 4, 1989, did not die in vain."

Looking back on his political career, Jones told AP Radio (via ABC Action News) that his swearing-in ceremony was a special moment in his life, saying, "That all seemed dreamlike to me. That's when it hit me, what a blessing I had been given and I just started crying."

Ben Jones' successful career never would have happened if he hadn't confronted his own problems first. The actor served in the military during the Vietnam War and was involved in the Civil Rights Movement, but he soon found himself living with addiction. In his book, "Redneck Boy in the Promised Land," he wrote (via Indy Week), "I was the dynamite and booze was the match." Jones began drinking in high school, and when he drank, "The pain and shames I had been carrying seemed to be lifted." 

According to Jones, his drinking became more severe. As he described to the AP, "I'd wake up in jails just wondering how I got there. Vomit on my shoes and blood on my shirt." The realization of his addiction hit him in 1977: "I really was literally dying and I knew it. I was in this free-fall, five-week drunk and I felt indescribable terror." Jones turned to a friend for help and quit drinking, and a year later, he joined the cast of "Dukes of Hazzard," setting him on a course he likely never imagined. 

As a member of the House of Representatives, Jones would sometimes butt heads with his fellow Democrats, but it was redistricting that led to the end of his political career after his second term, not controversy. A third bid for office, in 2002, was unsuccessful. He also kept acting here and there, reprising his role as Cooter Davenport in TV movies and video games in the '90s and '00s as well as a handful of other projects, making his last credited appearance in 2021's "Unbreakable" (as himself), five years before his death.

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).