Former Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell has died at age 78. Rell’s family said in a statement that she died Wednesday at a Florida hospital following a brief illness. The Republican was lieutenant governor in 2004 when Gov. John G. Rowland resigned amid a corruption investigation. She took over the office and then won election in 2006. She served until 2011. Her successor was Democrat Dannel Malloy. He credits her with returning “a sense of decency and honesty to state government at a time when both were sorely needed.” Rell was also known for her candor and compassion.
