Glad you found what looks to be the problem! They do make some plastic hose you can pick up relatively cheap and is intended to be put in the tank. I have something similar to this (Holley has a couple different sizes):
https://www.holley.com/products/fuel...t/parts/12-728
Mine has a loop in it from the pump up to the tank outlet.
Also, on the electrical, I avoid connectors in the tank and use adhesive lined polyolefin heat shrink on all the connections. I normally buy that stuff from Waytek wire but I found some in a pinch at a local Napa.
This is the stuff I normally use, comes in various initial sizes and shrinks up to 3:1.
https://www.waytekwire.com/item/2220...CK-Polyolefin/
Good luck! Again, glad it looks like something simple and not complicated.