The candy desk was a Senate tradition that began in the 1960s and has since been passed down to others, with Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) being the latest.

He ate fallen bits off his desk by pressing them into his finger and then licking his finger.” Senators are free to help themselves to the snack-size candy bars in Mr. Toomey’s desk.

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 ...

Two decades later, the candy desk tradition continues in the Senate ... he kept the drawer ajar so any colleagues walking past could help themselves. And they did so, particularly throughout ...

“The candy desk duty is ‘Mounds’ of responsibility ... “Maybe it’ll even help with a little bit of compromise.” ...