Abbott and his co-author argue the way into the democracy conversation with working class voters is through economics: cost of living and stagnant wages. Listen to and solve the financial anxiety, then protecting democracy is a more viable option.
The authors make another point about liberal intellectuals being judgmental and looking down on others, whether real or perceived. The "latte liberal" ethos is also made by philanthropist Rachel Pritzker in the Chronicle of Philanthropy: Well-off liberals who fund and run the democracy movement must get out of their bubbles and authentically reach the working class voters, if they want to prevail.
"Our values and priorities are out of step with a wide swath of the country," Pritzker wrote.
The far right has long enjoyed branding the left as out of touch and elitist. Just because they said it doesn't mean it's not true. I say that from what everyday people, including rank-and-file Democrats, have told pollsters.
The coastal elites sometimes get in their own way. I think they downplay, ignore, are oblivious to, or just don't care about how their stature--education, money, social standing– can be a hidden drag on achieving the civic outcomes they want.