Reading about the Bobo-Empty G Congressional Cage Match & it's got me thinking of other wild shenanigans that've happened on the floor of the US Congress over the years.
Like in 1798, when CT Rep. Roger Griswold threw hands at VT Rep. Matthew Lyon over their clashing anti/federalist views. https://connecticuthistory.org/roger-griswold-starts-a-brawl-in-congress-today-in-history/
Griswold whacked Lyon with his cane; Lyon promptly grabbed a pair of fireplace tongs and whacked back. Somewhere in there Lyon launched a spitwad of tobacco at Griswold. Good times, man, good times.
Then there was the time pro-slavery SC Rep. Preston Brooks marched onto the Senate floor to wail on anti-slavery MS Sen. Charles "Slavery's a Harlot" Sumner with his cane, beating him into unconsciousness. Brooks was eventually censured & left Congress, but not before countless Southerners showed him their support by sending him more canes. Sumner recovered & served another 18 years in Congress. https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/minute/The_Caning_of_Senator_Charles_Sumner.htm
Not long afterwards, an argument that started with insults & harsh words thrown by Reps. Galusha Grow & Lawrence Branch turned into a flat-out rumble on the chamber floor, with a number of representatives joining in with fervor. https://books.google.com/books
Dangit, doesn't seem I've figured out how to make links work consistently yet.
Anyway, the Compromise of 1850 got people so het up that Mississippi Sen. Henry Foote drew his gun on Missouri Sen. Hart Benton. He was promptly tackled, subdued & disarmed, but not before Benton showed off his enormous, clanking steel balls by demanding others stand aside and "let the assassin fire!" https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/minute/Bitter_Feelings_In_the_Senate_Chamber.htm
Point is, man some seriously weird violent shit has gone down in the halls of Congress before, in terms of conflict between elected members. The Bobo-Empty G match is fairly mild compared to some of it.