Ben Jones, who played the good ol’ boy mechanic in “The Dukes of Hazzard” TV series and parlayed his fame into a political career and two terms in the U.S. House, has died. For seven seasons, Jones was one of a small band of friends and family helping Bo and Luke Duke in “The Dukes of Hazzard.” “The Dukes of Hazzard” was a hit for CBS and its popularity never waned. ″Our lives changed.″Tom Wopat, who played Luke Duke, said Jones was an integral part of making the series work. After “The Dukes of Hazzard,” Jones went into politics.