America needs to increase its energy supply. We need energy options from a wider variety of sources. We need to become more efficient in how we use energy, too.

We need it all. Every promising option should be on the table and folded into a responsible national energy strategy.

In my opinion, we don’t have such a strategy today, primarily due to reckless partisanship in Washington, D.C., and a whopping dollop of congressional ignorance. Our current gaggle of politicians is actually making matters worse.

Sadly, some of the worst culprits are from Colorado. I’m running against one of them — Boulder County Democrat Mark Udall.

Despite election-year hand-wringing, actual actions suggest few in Congress fully understand America faces a serious energy crisis. It’s actually a self-imposed hardship built upon years of bad decisions and indecision.

Fixing it requires both long-term and short-term solutions. America and Colorado really need bold, forward-thinking, fresh leadership.

That’s why I’m running for the U.S. Senate. The topic of energy represents perhaps the biggest difference between Udall and me.

I’m for lower gasoline prices now and in the future. Transferring $600 billion to foreign oil-producing nations is insane — especially when Colorado, Utah and Wyoming sit atop possibly a couple trillion barrels of recoverable oil.

The liberal views espoused by Udall couldn’t be more different than mine. As a former U.S. congressman myself (representing Colorado’s entire energy-rich eastern plains), and having spent many years in the private sector (including working in renewable and conventional energy production), my views on energy security and the economy are formed by the rugged, rural, Western principles of self-reliance, local environmental stewardship and freedom.

I believe Americans are smart enough to accomplish it all, and I’m apparently the only one in this race who does. I refuse to believe every effort to harvest American energy is a direct threat to Colorado’s environmental integrity. I believe clean-energy harvest is a great opportunity for Colorado’s economic prosperity. We’re capable of accomplishing and improving both.

Colorado’s oil and gas industry contributes over $20 billion to the state economy and employs 71,000 people — many on the Western Slope. We need to replace the politicians who insist on punishing these Coloradans.

We should offer more incentives to grow a more robust renewable energy sector. We should hold out incentives for unconventional technologies such as oil-shale, oil sands and others. We should expand other clean-energy opportunities such as nuclear and geothermal.

We should establish high standards for efficiency and low environmental impact based on industry best practices, ambitious goals and local accountability. We should reward those who conserve in ways consistent with meeting national goals.

I’m asking Colorado voters to choose these values by voting for me this year. Udall’s values on these topics are very different. I have documented the greatest contrasts at my campaign Web site at www.bobschafferforsenate.com.

There you will find examples such as these:

✔ I support lower gasoline costs for consumers. Udall supported an additional federal gasoline tax of 50 cents per gallon.

✔ Expanding America’s refinery capacity is something I wholeheartedly support. Udall voted six times against building new refineries.

✔ I support responsible off-shore energy harvesting. Udall has voted 15 times against safe, responsible off-shore drilling.

✔ I support more responsible production of American energy now. Udall’s legislation encouraging American companies to drill oil only for the benefit of Cuba’s energy needs in the Gulf of Mexico strikes me as bizarre.

✔ I support giving states a bigger share of the royalties paid by those who produce on federal lands. Udall voted last year to reduce the states’ share. That vote cost Colorado millions of dollars that should be going to schools, roads and water lines. State Sen. Josh Penry called this, “a total betrayal of the Western Slope.”

Clearly there are those who are cheering high energy prices. Some believe Americans should pay even more so that Chinese and Indian consumers can buy more oil cheaper, while Saudis get richer. Those kinds of voters will find my opponent a better match for their values.

For all others who prefer a more serious, thoughtful, comprehensive and Colorado-based approach to America’s energy future, I ask for your vote and for your active support for my campaign by visiting the Web site listed above.

Bob Schaffer is a former congressman from Colorado’s 4th Congressional District. He is the Republican candidate seeking to replace Wayne Allard in the U.S. Senate.