Republican New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu calls 2022 midterm results a 'rejection of extremism'

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Republicans, Democrats and media react to surprising 2022 midterms

Republicans, Democrats and media figures pointed to Republican "extremism" and "candidate quality" as reasons why Republicans didn't perform as well as expected in the midterms. 

Republican New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu says the results of the midterm elections are a "rejection of extremism" by the American public. 

Sununu made the remark Sunday on ABC’s "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" after defeating his opponent in the New Hampshire gubernatorial race by more than 15 points.  

"I think we've been talking a lot about it this week. Candidate quality matters," he said. "You know, there's a chance of extremism that I think a lot of Republicans were painted with, rightfully or not. You know, when you have a product, you can't let the other side define you, right? And that's what -- what campaigns are." 

"It's a product of good ideas and what you want to bring to the table," Sununu continued. "And, ultimately, I think the Democrats did a very good job of defining a lot of these candidates before they even had a chance to introduce themselves." 

GOVERNORS RATED MOST CONSERVATIVE EASILY WON RE-ELECTION 

Gov. Chris Sununu at a campaign stop for Republican Senate candidate Chuck Morse on Sept. 13, 2022, in Bedford, New Hampshire. (Scott Eisen/Getty Images)

Sununu added that "you have all this other national stuff happening that, I think, scared a lot of folks, this extremism that's out there. And that's what this was. This was just a rejection of that extremism. I don't think anyone likes the policies out of D.C. No one likes paying, you know, six bucks for a gallon of heating oil, especially with winter coming." 

"But what I think people said was, ‘Look, we can work on these policies later, but as Americans, we've got to fix extremism right now.’ And I think that's exactly what you saw," he told ABC. 

When asked to define extremism, Sununu also said, "There's a whole stream of things out there that can be deemed extreme, on one side and the other," and that he thinks there is "an extreme left and an extreme right." 

Gov. Chris Sununu speaks at a GOP unity breakfast on Sept. 15, 2022, in Concord, New Hampshire. (Fox News)

"In this sense, I think a lot of folks were really focused -- are saying, ‘Look, it's not about payback; it's about solving problems,’ right? And there was talk like that. It's not about, you know, nationalizing abortion bans and all this kind of stuff," Sununu said. 

Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan defeated New Hampshire Republican Senate candidate Don Bolduc in the midterms. (Scott Eisen/Getty Images)

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He added: "There was talk like that. That just scared people. And, you know, the horrible -- the attack on Mr. Pelosi and -- I mean, those types of things got people's, you know, angst up, and they said, ‘Look, enough of this. We have to start putting in folks that are definitely going to come together and work across the aisle.’"