I think IRV has shortcomings, but using those shortcomings as an argument against it (and thus, implicitly, as an argument in favor of the status quo, the ever more shortcoming-riddled FPTP) is silly.
I agree. Repealing Burlington's IRV in 2010 (by 52-48%) may have been cathartic for Republicans, but I feel it was a step backwards. Kiss (Prog.) still would have won in 2009. The only way Wright (R) wins is under FPTP.
I think it is telling that IRV is in place mainly in left-leaning communities.
The 2013 VA gubernatorial election is a good example of how IRV would work. McCauliff (D) beat Cucinelli (R) 48.1-45.5%, with 6.4% voting libertarian. Ds and Rs argued over who lost more votes to the Libertarian, and McAuliffe took office with less than majority support. Giving Libertarian voters (along with everyone else) a chance to select a second choice would remove the minority support aspect (and in this case possibly change the result). Similarly for another election in which the R defeated the D 48-47, with L getting 4%, which also produced arguments (the L, who was pro-same-sex marriage, may have taken votes from the D).