First lady takes centre stage in Argentina race

By Cesar Illiano

LA PLATA, Argentina (Reuters) - Argentina's first lady launched her campaign to become the country's first elected female president on Thursday, pledging to deepen the economic course carved out by President Nestor Kirchner.

Polls show Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, a powerful senator and her husband's top adviser, is the overwhelming favourite to win an October presidential election.

But a series of corruption scandals and an energy crisis dogging her husband could affect her campaign.

Fernandez unveiled her presidential bid in this provincial capital more than two weeks after Kirchner said he would not seek re-election and instead back his wife as the ruling Peronist Party's candidate.

Kirchner, who remains highly popular after four years in office, describes his wife's candidacy as a chance for change and new ideas.

Addressing a packed theatre of supporters, Fernandez heralded her husband's economic policies. Many Argentines credit Kirchner with engineering the country's turnaround from a 2001-2002 economic crisis.

"Argentina has new hopes, so there is now a need to keep carrying this model forward," she said.

A 54-year-old lawyer who has served in both houses of Congress, Fernandez is among several wives of Peronist presidents to enter politics, beginning with Eva Peron, the wife of former Argentine strongman Juan Peron.