In 1972, Jenkins made an effort to promote the influence of conservative Democrats. He endorsed conservative Mayor Sam Yorty of Los Angeles, California, for the party's presidential nomination, but the choice fell upon U.S. Senator George S. McGovern of South Dakota. In 1976, he was elected as Louisiana's member of the Democratic National Platform Committee where he offered numerous conservative proposals during the meetings in Washington, D.C. He was the only member of the committee to vote against the final version of the platform.