M. Jodi Rell, who was the first (and, to date, only) Republican woman to serve as governor of Connecticut, beginning her seven years in office when the incumbent resigned in a corruption scandal, died on Wednesday in Florida. Her family, providing no other details, said she died in a hospital after a brief illness. Mrs. Rell had been the state’s lieutenant governor for more than nine years when, in July 2004, she began completing the term of Gov. Known as a moderate Republican, Mrs. Rell sought bipartisan compromise — a goal that became more important to her, she said, when, five months after becoming governor, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a mastectomy and reconstructive surgery. She returned to her office in the Capitol in Hartford nine days later.

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Persons: Jodi Rell, Rell, John G, Rowland, Dannel P, Malloy Organizations: Republican, Gov, Capitol Locations: Connecticut, Florida, Hartford