First Lady Heads for Presidency

First lady Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner looks to be the next president of Argentina, with a comfortable 20% lead over her nearest competitor in polls going into today's balloting, Reuters reports. The biggest question in the voting for her husband's successor is whether Fernandez—who downplays inevitable comparisons to both Evita Peron and Hillary Clinton—can capture the 45% of the vote necessary to avoid a runoff.

Fernandez, who is also a senator, has led a low-key campaign, without participating in a single debate or interview besides a radio spot the day before the election. Fernandez served as top adviser to husband Nestor Kirchner, who is credited with an economic turnaround, and as one voter said: "I think she'll build a good government on the foundations put in place by her husband." (More Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner stories.)