Fourth of July. The best of summer. Friends, family and fireworks. And don’t forget the ice cream.

We’re headed to the mountains to beat the heat this week. As we plan the shopping list, ice cream is definitely on top. My 7-year old son is bringing a friend with him, and so as any Alpha Mom will do, I want to make sure I have the right flavor for both kids.

My son is a hard-wired Republican. It’s in his DNA, he didn’t really have a choice. I know chocolate is the way to go for any red-blooded Republican.

But I know his buddy comes from a mixed-partisan household – his mom is Republican and his Dad a Democrat (which is probably confusing enough for a kid). I consulted Harris Interactive’s 2011 study on ice cream. Yes, there are partisan preferences for even ice cream so we’re hoping this menu provides some insight into the preferences of your holiday guests.

So, I’ll probably get two varieties. Chocolate for my hard-core Republican son and perhaps a little cookie dough for his friend. We’ll live on the wild side. Or I could just text his mom and ask.

As for the toppings? Republicans are full of fudge, Democrats like their nuts. Independents like a bit of everything, but have a slightly stronger preference for fruit than either Republicans or Democrats.