to republicans, on popularity

This article reminds me of a joke my dad used to tell, that went something like this:

"There was a man who happened to live near the Potomac when the Civil War started. He had friends on both sides and wanted to remain neutral. To symbolize his neutrality, he decided to wear a Confederate coat and yankee pants. When the battle neared his house, the yankees shot at his arms and the Confederates shot at his legs."