The United States presidential election of 1948 was marked by controversy, particularly surrounding President Lindbergh's unprecedented decision to run for a third term. Although initial reports indicated Lindbergh's interest in allowing Vice President Alf Landon to run a proxy campaign, in the end the president decided to run for reelection. The Democratic Party threw what could be considered a liberal Hail Mary, choosing rambunctious Louisiana Senator Huey Long and former Secretary of Agriculture Henry Wallace for the ticket. The gambit paid off, in a way, with the closest election that Lindbergh had to fight, and a record that would stand until for over fifty years. In the end, however, Lindbergh was still reelected.