Rep. Trey Gowdy said he was disappointed to see 2020 presidential politics injected into Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court confirmation hearings.

Kavanaugh, Trump's pick to replace retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy, was grilled by Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee, including rumored 2020 hopefuls Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.).

Booker, in particular, was criticized by Republican lawmakers for his histrionics and for releasing documents that appeared to be labeled "committee confidential" to the public.

"That's not the Cory Booker that I know," Gowdy (R-S.C.) said on "The Story" Thursday. "That is not the Cory Booker that I discuss criminal justice reform with. That is someone that is trying to position himself as the front-runner, so he can take on Donald Trump."

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He said it's a shame to see what presidential politics can do to otherwise reasonable people, and he believes the American people are sick of "four-year-long presidential election cycles."

"They missed a wonderful opportunity -- the Senate did -- to have a robust, interesting hearing about judicial philosophy and whether you're a strict constructionist or you're a minimalist," Gowdy said.

"What I watched over the last couple days was a lot of people who want to be the nominee in 2020, and it's sad."

He said the hearings are also revealing a striking division over what the role of the Supreme Court should be.

"Is it a super-legislature by which you can obtain your objective if you can't get it at the ballot box? Or do you want people to simply interpret the law?"

Watch more from Gowdy above.

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