Los Angeles: Ben Jones, who featured in CBS action series "The Dukes of Hazzard" before serving two terms in the US House of Representatives, has died at the age of 84.
The news of his death was announced by his wife, Alma Viator, in a Facebook post. Jones died from a "massive heart attack" at home while preparing to watch a baseball game on television, according to 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," Alma wrote.
Jones played the character Cooter, the owner of Cooter's Garage in Hazzard County Square, located across from the sheriff's office. He appeared in 141 episodes of "The Dukes of Hazzard", which ran for seven seasons from January 1979 to February 1985.
Bolstered by the show's popularity, it ranked No. 2 in the Nielsen ratings in 1979-80, behind "Dallas", which followed it on Friday nights on CBS. Jones, a Democrat, ran for Congress in 1986 but lost a close race to incumbent Pat Swindall for 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 changed his district, Jones was defeated by Republican Newt Gingrich in 1994. However, an ethics complaint he filed against Gingrich contributed to Gingrich's resignation as House Speaker in 1998.
While living in Virginia in 2002, Jones made another bid for Congress but lost to Eric Cantor, who later became House majority leader. Twelve years later, pundits said a letter Jones wrote to voters criticising his former opponent contributed to Cantor's shock defeat in the Republican primary.