Argentina's first lady poised to take over from husband

President Nestor Kirchner and first lady Cristina Fernandez are poised to switch jobs in December, with partial results indicating Argentines elected a female president for the first time and launched their country's most powerful political dynasty since Juan and Evita Peron. Fernandez is a lawyer and senator who followed her husband as he rose from an obscure governorship to the presidency, drawing comparisons to US Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. She would bring a feistier and more glamorous style to the Pink House, Argentina's presidential palace, in which she has already spent the last four years. With just over two-thirds of the polling places reporting, Fernandez had about 43 percent of the vote, compared with 23% for former lawmaker Elisa Carrio and 18% for former Economy Minister Roberto Lavagna. Eleven others split the rest. According to Argentina electoral rules, Fernandez avoids a runoff with at least 40% and a margin of 10% over the runner-up.