New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Sunday that Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersOutrage erupts over Breonna Taylor grand jury ruling Dimon: Wealth tax 'almost impossible to do' Grand jury charges no officers in Breonna Taylor death MORE’s message of economic change would have won the presidency.

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“I think the message would have won the election,” de Blasio told ABC News’ Bill Ritter.

Ritter had asked de Blasio whether Sanders would have beaten President-elect Donald Trump Donald John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE if he had been the Democratic nominee.

“It’s a highly theoretical question,” de Blasio replied. “We don’t know how all the factors would’ve played out.”

But, de Blasio said, if Clinton had pushed Sanders’s message economic change more toward the end of her campaign, she would’ve had a chance.

Throughout his primary bid, Sanders denounced income inequality and called for policies that would reduce it.

Clinton adopted a similar tone.

“My mission in the White House will be to make sure our economy works for everyone, not just the top,” Clinton said during an August speech in Michigan.

“It’s a message that Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonDemocratic groups using Bloomberg money to launch M in Spanish language ads in Florida The Hill's Campaign Report: Presidential polls tighten weeks out from Election Day More than 50 Latino faith leaders endorse Biden MORE had in her platform, but I honestly believe downplayed in the later half of her campaign,” he said. “If she had had a message of economic change, it would’ve overwhelmed a lot of what Trump was putting forward,” he added.

De Blasio said this message would have targeted voters in America’s heartland who may have voted for Trump instead.

“Trump wisely ran as an outsider for both parties,” he said. “A very brilliant move on his part.”

De Blasio backed Clinton during the election. Since then, he has called for the abolishment of the Electoral College after Clinton lost the presidency while beating Trump by more than 2 million in the popular vote.

“Obviously we have a profound problem,” de Blasio said in late November. “We’ve never seen such a disconnect between the popular vote and the Electoral College vote in the history of this entire country.”