How the hell you can say that when the two most progressive Dems went into the runoff? This was a demolition derby among progressives supporting two very progressive candidates.
The Dems didn't lose due to a centrist message-- they lost because progressives tore each others hearts out because different partisans each had a candidate they thought worth killing each other over.
It was the GOP who used the centrist strategy, voting in the primary for a lifelong Democrat as the only chance they had to keep the mayorship.
God, when all people have is a single rhetorical hammer, all they can see is a frigging nail.
-- Nathan Newman