The U.S. oil and gas industry is in the midst of a renaissance—for the first time since the Truman administration, the U.S. has become a net exporter of gasoline and diesel. As this renaissance continues, the industry is creating more jobs, yet energy hasn’t been a large focus in this presidential campaign.

Jack Gerard, president and chief executive of the American Petroleum Institute (API), contends that with the main crux of this presidential election being job creation and economic recovery, energy should be at the heart of the debate, since ...