Have you ever taken a stand in person on anything where you did not hold the high ground or just could not be hurt?
What happens is you do something unpopular and then people complain at you, then you usually take their selfish complaints into the sunlight etc. Its a process.
There is nothing more selfish then funding & promoting candidates to primary the sitting elected officials of a party that you are a member of. Have some integrity and leave the party if you are going to do this.