text: The big question is "Why would a Democrat choose to leave the Party and run as a Green?  Did Cedric Gates do this in 2014 solely because he was barred from running that year as a Democrat because he registered with the Party too late? Keiko Bonk came from a solidly Democratic family, but bolted to run as a Green and won a number of elections. In the 2004 mayoral race the more progressive candidate lost to a nominal Democrat who proceeded to get people who had supported his opponent fired from their jobs. This leads into the next big question: "Why would solid Democrats support a Republican in a non-partisan mayoral race?" Party rules should be followed, lest there be chaos, but do party labels really matter?