Argentine First Lady Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, whose husband is credited with Argentina’s rebound from an economic collapse, overshadowed 13 rivals on Sunday in her bid to become her country’s first elected woman President and the second sitting female chief of state in South America, along with Chile’s Michelle Bachelet. Voting was peaceful at more than 12,700 polling stations nationwide.

Fernandez, who harnessed President Nestor Kirchner’s achievements in bringing Argentina back from a US$100 billion debt default, won the support of many Argentines despite offering few original proposals. Kirchner declined to seek a second term he seemed sure to win and instead deferred to his wife, a senator and fellow lawyer. Fernandez, 54, has reached out to the business community, a sector that sometimes felt victimised in her husband’s administration.

Her closest challengers, former lawmaker Elisa Carrio and former Economy Minister Roberto Lavagna, were trying to force her into a November 25 runoff, but all major pre-election polls showed her getting the 40 per cent — with a lead of more than 10 per cent — she needs to win outright.

Unlike Hillary Rodham Clinton, with whom she is often compared, Fernandez didn’t have to go through a bruising primary or much of any vetting process. Fernandez, who refused to debate and spent much of the campaign abroad in photo-ops with world leaders, also drew much attention for her chic European dresses and designer bags. She has also been compared with “Evita” Peron, another fashion-conscious and politically influential Argentine first lady. Fernandez, however, has steered clear of all comparisons.

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