Karl Rove's plan for Republicans to nominate a presidential candidate no one has voted for would be a "disaster," according to a lawmaker from Virginia.

Related Story: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/article/2587648
"What's at stake there is one of the fundamental premises of Western civilization, which is democracy," Rep. Dave Brat, R-Va., told the Washington Examiner. "If what Karl Rove called a 'fresh face' appears who's been handpicked by someone behind the green curtain, it would prove to be a disaster not only for the party but for the country."

Rove in March said it may be best if Republicans nominate a "fresh face" at the party's convention in July. Commentators surmised at the time that Rove's most likely choice would be House Speaker Paul Ryan. That suspicion has grown: A Thursday video Ryan produced that called for "uniting Americans" instead of "dividing" them was interpreted as a thinly-veiled broadside at front-runner Donald Trump, and it quickly gained attention from outlets such as Drudge Report.

Brat said that would be a violation of the country's democratic norms. "It would be the first time the American people see that a major party, at least in recent memory, hasn't followed the democratic tradition of nominating any of the leading candidates who have been doing the grueling work of fighting state-by-state and picking up millions of voters."

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus seemed to leave the door open for Rove's scenario just days ago. "By the way, this is a nomination for the Republican Party," Priebus told a Wisconsin radio station. "If you don't like the party, then sit down. The party is choosing a nominee."

Related Story: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/article/2582423
Brat suggested that sentiment was part of the reason candidates associated with Washington were failing. "Both parties have outside candidates doing surprisingly well, and I think that means the average person knows the status quo is unacceptable," Brat said. "They see it resulting in a weakened America in terms of foreign policy, they saw the economy grow at 1 percent last quarter, they see college kids living at home who can't find jobs and they see runaway spending at the federal level.

"Whoever is in charge of that outcome needs to be replaced," he added. "So the vast majority on both sides are voting for outsiders. Everybody knows intuitively we have to get off the path that we're on, or the country is going to be Greece in 20 years."