Mitch McConnell consistently has an approval rating in the teens in his state. He is unlikely to lose his seat solely due to tribal hatred of Democrats. On a more macro scale Congress has maintained absolutely terrible approval ratings for decades now. But most of them only have to seriously worry about a primary.
The beginning, middle, and end of all problems in American politics is that as a group we don’t care to be informed and we don’t hold the majority of our elected officials accountable.
I take great exception to the idea that 'Americans... as a group... don't care to be informed.'
Sorry, but I think that's total B.S. It just doesn't match my experiences at all. Most of my Republican friends are extremely well versed in politics. They are highly informed, and while I disagree with a lot of what they say, their premises are ALWAYS rooted in fact. We differ only on the interpretation of those facts. The same can be said about my Democrat friends, and the level of thought they put into their interpretations - again of facts.
Obviously, these are personal anecdotes, and can't be extrapolated to the general public. But I know people from all walks of life, and from a smattering of states - not just Texas. I find it hard to believe that my personal connections are not (at least somewhat) representative of Americans as a whole.
I'm also not sure that I agree that we don't hold our officials accountable, but that's an easier sell for you to make.
Bottom line, politics are complicated. You can find justifications for many arguments, but it's very difficult to find stances that can withstand all the criticism they deserve. And that means that even if people are well informed, and highly motivated to understand the questions, they may still differ greatly on what they believe should be done (or not done).
note: I started with Republicans, because I have challenged them far more often in political discussions, and as a consequence I have formed some opinions of what they know - much more so, than I've challenged Democrats, with whom I tend to agree.