David Jenkins of Conservatives for Responsible Stewardship is Correct That We Need an All-of-the-Above Energy Strategy and that Energy Cancel Culture is Not Warranted Nor Useful

     David Jenkins, a lifelong conservative who is the president of the group Conservatives for Responsible Stewardship, recently wrote an Op-Ed in the Tampa Bay Times that calls for an all-of-the-above strategy for energy, one that in 2008 was endorsed by most conservatives as well as Obama. Jenkins advocates for free market investment in the smartest and most cost-effective energy technologies. He expresses disappointment in a recent call by Florida Republican gubernatorial candidate Paul Renner to essentially apply cancel culture to renewable energy, saying that his information is basically outdated. Instead, Jenkins notes that Florida has very good solar energy resources but gets only 11% of its electricity from solar and wind (virtually all from solar), compared to Texas, which gets about 30%, and other red states like Oklahoma (42%), Iowa (61%), North Dakota (59%), and New Mexico (59%). He says the market is deciding how much energy is coming from renewables in these states.

     He thinks natural gas prices are likely to rise due to higher demand from LNG exports and data centers. He also rejects Renner’s claim that solar should be abandoned because too many components come from China. Jenkins is also adamant about Florida getting more power from solar:

“The fact that the Sunshine State gets a mere 11% of its electricity from solar energy, which is produced in-state and not subject to global supply disruptions, represents a colossal failure.”

     He also suggests that many conservatives oppose solar and wind power simply because many liberals support it.

“Solar energy is Florida's cheapest, most abundant and most secure source of energy. And in this age of ever-rising electric bills, power-hungry data centers and global unrest, Floridians need leaders who will ditch the foolishness and get serious about lowering energy costs.”

   

 

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Energy cancel culture emerges in race for Florida governor | Column. David Jenkins, Conservatives for Responsible Stewardship. Updated Thu, May 21, 2026. Tampa Bay Times. Energy cancel culture emerges in race for Florida governor | Column