A conversation hosted by MSNBC’s Katy Tur about the California primary results took a sharp turn Wednesday as a Republican strategist called Los Angeles a “third world, kind of poverty-stricken area,” provoking a volley of insults between him and his Democratic counterpart.

Shawn Steele, Republican national committeeman in California, followed up his smear of the major city by calling his fellow interviewee, Bob Shrum, Democratic strategist and director of USC’s institute of politics, a “partisan hack” when Shrum came to LA’s defense.

“Just shut up!” Shrum shot back.

The exchange blurred into heated crosstalk as Tur tried to wrench the conversation back on track.

Watch below: