Former Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell Dies at 78

Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell pauses during an interview in her office at the Capitol in Hartford, Conn., on Aug. 21, 2009. Jessica Hill/AP Photo

Former Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell, who took over the office to become the second female governor in state history after her predecessor resigned amid a corruption scandal, has died. She was 78.

Rell died Wednesday at a Florida hospital following a brief illness, her family said in a statement Thursday morning.