In the midst of a global democratic recession, among some citizens the Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing concerns about the efficacy and legitimacy of liberal democracy. As extremist entrepreneurs seek to exploit these anxieties, we investigate potential countermeasures and ask what proponents of open societies can do to foster citizen commitment to liberal democracy in times of crisis. We propose the theory-guided and actionable intervention of democratic persuasion" and test its effcacy during online town halls. Working together with members of German parliaments, we invited citizens on facebook to attend 1 of 16 Zoom town halls on the topic of Covid-19. In one of the two town halls conducted by each politician, they were encouraged to actively make the case for democracy while directly addressing the concerns of citizens about system failures. Results from this field experiment underscore the potential of democratic persuasion to bolster support for liberal democracy among citizens.