Finding lawmakers with a sweet tooth was never much of a challenge for snack food makers and soda companies. They knew the score, and for years, the industries relied on the GOP to push their agenda.
Just last year, the Snack Food Association, the lobbying arm of the snack food industry, tried to save some of its biggest Republican supporters during the midterm elections. The group doled out thousands of dollars through its political action committee, sending Sen. Rick Santorum, whose home state of Pennsylvania boasts the Hershey chocolate empire and is home to several members of the association, a check for $4,000. Santorum, known to keep a never-empty candy jar in his Senate office, was a major player in helping to garner support for legislation that benefited the snack food industry.
