Atlantic City Mayor Lorenzo Langford wants to go “mano-a-mano” with New Jersey Governor

The fallout from the devastating hurricane Sandy has patience strained and tempers flaring in New Jersey, where the mayor of Atlantic City says he wants to confront the state governor "mano-a-mano."

Mayor Lorenzo Langford and Republican Governor Chris Christie have been embroiled in a war of words since Christie accused Langford of mishandling the evacuation of his city.

Christie had announced the evacuation of Atlantic City Monday night, ordering residents to leave the city before hurricane Sandy struck the coastal community. He later accused Langford of telling citizens to stay put and opening shelters that were later flooded by the powerful storm.

[ Related: Full coverage of the superstorm ]

"Despite my admonition to evacuate, he gave them comfort for some reason to stay," Christie told a press conference, according to The Hill. Christie added that he "cannot in good conscience send rescuers in as the storm is about to hit in the next hour, nor can I send them in in the dark given all the various hazards that would occur potentially for them."

Christie continued the criticism on NBC on Tuesday, saying his anger had turned to sadness for those who heeded Langford's poorly-considered advice.

Langford snapped back, again on NBC, telling Matt Lauer that he did not tell residents to stay in Atlantic City and that he would like to confront Christie "mano-a-mano."

Powerful storms and natural disasters can evoke some very primal feelings, so let's give these two a beat before we book a boxing ring and schedule a bout. Still, it is amazing how often threats of violence break out in politics.

The son of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has since apologized, but at one point he was ready to "take a swing" at President Barack Obama over a perceived slight on the campaign trail.

In Canada, more adorably, two Toronto city councillors nearly came to blows over how one was treating city staff members.

But it's not always pure bluster. In 2007, one Alabama state senators was punched in the neck after allegedly making an unflattering remark about his rival's mother.

"I responded to his comment with my right hand," Republican Sen. Charles Bishop was quoted as saying, by Fox News.

[ More Brew: Canadians continue to use food banks in record numbers ]

Overseas, however, political discourse can descend into violent outbursts on a much grander scale.

Such as this 2008 debate in South Korea, which ended with one group barricading the doors of a parliamentary meeting room and another group trying to knock down the doors like a gang of marauding zombies.

The debate, according to The Associated Press, was about free trade with the U.S.