Senators compete in Sandy food drive

Two neighboring Republican lawmakers in the Hart Senate Office Building are going head to head, engaging in a battle royale to outdo one another. But all this grandstanding isn’t over pending legislation, it’s for a good cause — to collect the most food items for Hurricane Sandy victims.

It’s beginning to look a bit like a Safeway in the offices of Sens. Mike Lee (Utah) and Marco Rubio (Fla.), where the competition is fierce to bring in the most groceries.

The Senate last month approved a bipartisan resolution spearheaded by Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) to start a food drive for those affected by Sandy. Lautenberg’s office is working with the hunger-relief charity Feeding America to collect both food and other non-perishable goods. Per ethics rules, the drive is only open to Senate staffers.

A bit of home-state culinary pride is on the line for Rubio and Lee. Lee is promising to fork over one of his favorite Utah-made treats — chocolate-covered cinnamon bears — if he fails to win the friendly wager (although we hear his staffers aren’t planning on losing).

If Rubio isn’t victorious over his Beehive State colleague, he’ll be sending pastelitos, a Cuban pastry, Lee’s way.

While he wouldn’t place bets on which office might win, Lautenberg told us in an email, “This is the Senate at its best. This spirited competition is a great act of kindness by Sens. Rubio and Lee and we New Jerseyans deeply appreciate it.”

We’ll see which senator’s team reigns supreme — the food drive ends Dec. 14.

Photo: Food items collected in Sen. Mike Lee's (R-Utah) office.

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