Patrick Little, neo-Nazi Senate candidate, banned from state GOP convention

Attendees sign in at registration booths during the California Republican Party's 2017 Organizing Convention in Sacramento, CA, on Friday February 24, 2017. Attendees sign in at registration booths during the California Republican Party's 2017 Organizing Convention in Sacramento, CA, on Friday February 24, 2017. Photo: Michael Short, Special To The Chroincle Buy photo Photo: Michael Short, Special To The Chroincle Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Patrick Little, neo-Nazi Senate candidate, banned from state GOP convention 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

SAN DIEGO — California Republican Party officials banned Patrick Little, the neo-Nazi who ran a strong second to Sen. Dianne Feinstein in a recent poll, from registering Saturday at the party convention and had security officers escort him from the gathering.

As Little was led from the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina, he was “kicking and dragging an Israeli flag on the ground,” said GOP consultant Luis Alvarado, who witnessed Little’s removal. “That doesn’t represent our values.”

“There is no room for that kind of speech here,” said Cynthia Bryant, executive director of the state party.

When Little tried to register for the convention Saturday, Bryant said, Little said he was a Republican. She said she replied, “But you’re not welcome here.” Bryant said political parties are private organizations and can exclude any person they choose.

Even though the California Republican Party hasn’t been able to recruit a serious candidate for one of the nation’s most visible political offices, it wants no connection to Little.

“I am the only America First candidate in California,” Little declares on his website, along with “No more of Feinstein’s Jewish supremacist wars for Israel.”

State party officials have no records of him ever serving as a delegate and have disavowed any knowledge of him.

Joe Garofoli is The San Francisco Chronicle’s senior political writer. Email: jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @joegarofoli