Imho, Dems HAVE been weak in certain areas.
Yes, we've been relatively strong on efforts to help women, black and brown people, and people who don't fit into the traditional gender-related binary; and I'm grateful for that.
But what about issues affecting the economic condition of the 95% (how many Dem representatives opposed the repeal of Glass-Steagall, the decision not to regulate credit derivatives, etc.?);
or the repeal of restrictions on the consolidation of media ownership (how many opposed the Telecom Act of 1996?);
or the wars based on lies (how many voted against the 2003 invasion of Iraq, despite larger mass protests than occurred in opposition to our involvement in Viet Nam? How many voted against the renewal of the AUMF? Etc.);
or incursions against free speech and privacy (how many Dem reps. voted against extensions of the Patriot Act; how many continue to acquiesce in the mass surveillance of innocent citizens; how many condemned Biden admin pressures on social media platforms to censor or shadow-ban citizens' protected speech, or its actions in the arrest of four Black socialists based on their criticism of our involvement in Ukraine)? Etc.
I believe that Dems' weakness on some of these issues, especially the economic ones, helped create the conditions for Trump's election.
People's economic struggles are real, and "messaging" only goes so far to convince them otherwise. Trump hasn't really helped the working class, either; but it took a while for people to feel let down by the Dems, and I fear it will take a while for people to feel let down enough by Trump and other Republicans to switch allegiance again.