time he auditioned for *The Dukes of Hazzard*, Jones had already accumulated substantial experience as a performer.
The role of Cooter, however, changed the trajectory of his career.
The series became a major television success, and Jones was suddenly recognizable to audiences throughout the United States.
For many actors, a role that becomes so closely identified with a television series can become limiting. Jones ultimately embraced the association rather than trying to escape it.
That decision would shape much of his life after Hollywood.
## From Television to Congress
Perhaps the most surprising chapter of Jones’ life came when he entered politics.
In 1988, Jones won election to the U.S. House of Representatives as a Democrat representing Georgia’s 4th Congressional District. He subsequently won reelection and served in Congress from 1989 through 1993. ([AP News][1])
The transition was unusual enough to
