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Naturally enough, the abrupt resignation Wednesday of Rep. David Scribner, R-Brookfield, was of interest to former Gov. M. Jodi Rell, who once held the seat, and her son, Michael Rell, himself a municipal politician.

The former governor learned of Scribner’s resignation while on a Caribbean cruise. In an exchange of texts with her son, she immediately asked, ā€œAre you considering it?ā€

Michael Rell was tempted, but he said Thursday the answer was, ā€œNo.ā€

The younger Rell is married, the father of two children and a local office holder – in the Hartford suburb of Wethersfield, far away from his hometown of Brookfield, where his sister and her family live in the family homestead and his mother has a condo.

Scribner resigned his safe Republican seat to accept a post on the Liquor Control Commission.

Michael Rell said he now has roots in Wethersfield. His wife is a neo-natal nurse at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center in Hartford. They have one child in school, another in day care. Rell is employed by the General Assembly and holds a seat on the Town Council.

ā€œI’m flattered people asked about it,ā€ he said.

It’s nice to be considered, especially by a former governor, even if she is your mom.

Mark is the Capitol Bureau Chief and a co-founder of CT Mirror. He is a frequent contributor to WNPR, a former state politics writer for The Hartford Courant and Journal Inquirer, and contributor for The New York Times.

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