Issue is that there are MORE elections than just the one every 4 years. Those other elections often help determine future candidates for Congress, State higher offices, and even eventually President. If people kept up with all of the election and candidates that would help.
We have no unified cultural identity as well. Not sure if WASP culture is the best but when it was our primary culture, it helped. No purple hair, Communist type people in 1950, 1890, 1840, 1790, etc. Same was true for Proud Boys/Neo-Nazi crew although you had KKK unfortunately.
If we get social issues out of politics, it might help.