Young shares Hoosier sweets with colleagues in Senate Candy Desk

Senator Young took over the desk from former Senator Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), who had the desk from 2015-2023. Young is the second Hoosier to occupy the desk. Indiana Senator Richard Lugar held the desk from 1977-1979. 

“Candy manufacturers across Indiana are producing amazing treats, and my goal is to spotlight these unique products made and distributed by Hoosiers,” said Young. “The candy desk is a popular destination for senators from both sides of the aisle, and I’m excited to share Hoosier candies with my colleagues. Perhaps a taste of Hoosier hospitality will sweeten the sometimes bitter divide in Washington.”

California Senator George Murphy began this tradition more than 40 years ago. Soon after he entered the Senate in 1965, the former Hollywood actor and film executive began stocking his Chamber desk with candy to gratify his sweet tooth. In 1968, he moved to an aisle desk on the last row near the elevator entrance. Given the member traffic that regularly passed by his new location, he invited other senators to help themselves and soon his desk became known to all as the “candy desk.” After Murphy left the Senate in 1971, other senators who occupied the desk at that location carried on the tradition of keeping it well stocked with assorted mints, hard candies, and chocolates. More information on George Murphy is available here. More on the history of the desk is available here. 

The candy desk will be stocked with home state candy products from Hoosier confectioners, including gummy products from Albanese Confectionary Group (Merrillville), chocolate bars from DeBrand Fine Chocolates (Ft. Wayne), Red Hots from Schimpff’s Confectionary (Jeffersonville), ‘Toxic Waste Hazardously Sour Candy’ from New Albany Sugar Shoppe (New Albany), ‘Sour Punch Straws’ from The Sweet Tooth in Munster, caramels from Kraft (Kendallville), jumbo jelly beans and chocolate covered jelly beans from Wakarusa Dime Store (Wakarusa), buckeyes from Mr. Fudge’s Confectionary (Metamora), mini chocolate bars from Endangered Species Chocolate (Indianapolis), and rock crystal candy sticks from Squire Boone Village (New Albany).