Trump delegate: Illinois Republican Party is behind him

At an Illinois delegation breakfast, Illinois Republican Party Chairman Tim Schneider of Barlett asked first-time delegates to a national convention to raise their hands.

"I saw lots of hands go up," said Mark Fratella of Elmhurst, who's among that group.

Fratella, a science teacher in Evanston, was elected as delegate for Donald Trump in the March primary.

He hasn't had the same complaints as some convention-goers who have accused the state GOP of a tepid response to Trump. He's convinced the state party is behind the nominee.

"They've all been really great about bringing in the Trump people," Fratella said. "Frankly, I haven't seen any division."

What he has seen is a lot of safeguards at a convention where security questions have loomed large.

Illinois delegates Monday traveled from their airport hotel to the downtown Cleveland convention site on a bus that passed through security checkpoints.

Fratella said a bus he rode on Sunday night included security officials and that he hasn't felt any threat.

"So far, I have felt very safe," he said.