Candy Desk

United States Senate tradition since 1968

The candy desk has been a tradition of the United States Senate since 1968, where a United States senator sits at a specific desk near a busy entrance keeps a drawer full of candy for members of the body. The current occupant of the candy desk is Pennsylvania Senator Pat Toomey.

Candy Desk location
The Candy Desk

People who sat at the Candy Desk

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Dates Senator State Candy brands Ref.
1968 – January 3, 1971 George Murphy California
January 21, 1971 – January 3, 1977 Paul Fannin Arizona Hard candies [1]
January 4, 1977 – January 15, 1979 Harrison Schmitt New Mexico Hard candies
January 5, 1981 – January 3, 1983 Roger Jepsen Iowa Hard candies [2]
January 3, 1983 – January 3, 1985 Steve Symms Idaho "Fine assortment of sweets" from "candy and chocolate associations." [3]
January 3, 1985 – January 3, 1987 Slade Gorton Washington "'Ample quantities' of candies made in his home state" [4]
January 3, 1987 – January 3, 1989 John McCain Arizona [5]
January 3, 1989 – January 5, 1993 Slade Gorton Washington [6]
January 5, 1993 – January 3, 1995 Jim Jeffords Vermont [7]
January 4, 1995 – January 7, 1997 Bob Bennett Utah [8]
January 7, 1997 – January 3, 2007 Rick Santorum Pennsylvania The Hershey Company and Just Born products
January 3, 2007 – June 4, 2007 Craig Thomas Wyoming Small local Wyoming confectionery businesses and chocolatiers
June 25, 2007 – January 3, 2009 George Voinovich Ohio Spangler Dum Dum Pops, Mars, Incorporated products, and Harry London [9]
January 3, 2009 – September 9, 2009 Mel Martinez Florida
September 10, 2009 – January 3, 2011 George LeMieux Florida "Mini Hershey bars and Werther's Originals"
February 14, 2011 – January 7, 2015 Mark Kirk Illinois Wrigley's Gum, Garrett's Popcorn, Tootsie Rolls and Jelly Belly
January 7, 2015 – Pat Toomey Pennsylvania Just Born Quality Confections, Josh Early Candies, Mars products (3 Musketeers), Hershey products [10]

References

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  1. Congressional Directory 92nd Congress First Session. United States Government Printing Office. 1971. Retrieved January 15, 2011
  2. 1981 Official Congressional Directory. United States Government Printing Office. 1981. Retrieved January 15, 2011
  3. 1983–1984 Official Congressional Directory. United States Government Printing Office. 1983. Retrieved January 15, 2011
  4. 1985–1986 Official Congressional Directory. United States Government Printing Office. 1985. Retrieved January 15, 2011
  5. 1987–1988 Official Congressional Directory. United States Government Printing Office. 1987. Retrieved January 15, 2011
  6. 1989–1990 Official Congressional Directory. United States Government Printing Office. 1989. Retrieved January 15, 2011
  7. 1993–1994 Official Congressional Directory. United States Government Printing Office. 1993. Retrieved January 15, 2011
  8. 1997–1998 Official Congressional Directory. United States Government Printing Office. 1997. Retrieved January 15, 2011
  9. Senate Chamber Map: 110th Congress Archived 2017-12-06 at the Wayback Machine. United States Senate. Retrieved January 15, 2011
  10. Olson, Laura. "U.S. Senate 'candy desk' back in PA hands". themorningcall.com. Retrieved 10 December 2018.