GOP Gov Says Party Has 'Priorities Wrong' After Republicans Attacked for Infrastructure Vote

New Hampshire Republican Gov. Chris Sununu said Sunday that his party should return to its focus on key issues like "cutting taxes, limiting government, creating opportunities in schools," as the GOP in Washington has seen infighting over a vote on the bipartisan infrastructure bill in recent weeks.

In an interview on CNN's State of the Union host Dana Bash asked Sununu about the House's recent vote to censure Arizona GOP Congressman Paul Gosar and strip him of committee assignments. The move came after Gosar shared an animated video that depicted him killing New York Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Only two Republicans joined Democrats in voting to censure Gosar.

Bash also asked Sununu about the backlash towards the congressional Republicans who supported the bipartisan infrastructure bill that passed the House earlier this month. She noted that "many in the GOP" wanted to kick those members off their committees.

"What does that say to you about the GOP? Voting for a bipartisan bill is considered worse by many than encouraging violence?" the CNN host asked the New Hampshire governor.

"I think politics in its entirety on both sides of the aisle in Wahington is screwed up. I mean, it really is," Sununu replied. "They got their priorities all wrong, they focus on the wrong things. They don't talk about balancing budgets, they don't talk about fixing health care, immigration reform, Social Security and Medicare are going to be broken in about 10 years."

He added: "And instead we spend all of our time focusing on these nitpicky things. And I think that when a congressman [like Gosar] says those things... of course they have to be censured for that, of course they have to be held to bear for that. When we talk about kicking people off of committees because they don't like one vote or the other, again I just think they have their priorities screwed up,"

"I know you're talking about both parties, but as a Republican, I'm asking you about Republicans. It sounds to me like you said that Paul Gosar should have been censured and stripped of his committees," Bash said.

"Yes," Sununu said.

"And it's okay for Republicans to support a bipartisan infrastructure bill?" Bash added.

"Of course," Sununu replied.

"What does it say about your party that they're being attacked the way they are?" Bash asked.

"Again, I think it says that we have our priorities wrong. Republicans have had huge successes with cutting taxes, limiting government, creating opportunities in schools, supporting parents...those are our wins," Sununu said.

"And that's what we have to focus on as a party," he added.

Sununu recently announced that he was declining to run for Senate in 2022, and will instead for re-election as governor.

When asked during his CNN interview if he was considering a run for president in 2024, Sununu didn't rule it out.

"Now, people have asked me about that," he replied. "I have got to win in '22. I still have an election and earn the votes of the people in New Hampshire in 2022, serve a couple years.

"We will see what the future brings. But there is a lot to do and a lot to not just push back with Washington, but a lot to implement here. It's -- being governor is one of the most challenging jobs you can ever imagine. You got to be on 24/7. But I have the opportunity to do things, a dozen different things every single day that impact people's lives."