Burlington, N.C. -- A 12-year-old girl from Burlington is on a mission to get Governor Pat McCrory's attention. She brought a cake she baked for him to Raleigh on Thursday.
"I really do not want to argue with him. A lot of people don't get that. They think I'm trying to set him up. I'm 12," Madison Kimrey said.
The idea stems from an incident last month when Governor McCrory passed out cookies to people protesting outside the governor's mansion.
Madison Kimrey did not have an appointment today. However, she wanted to talk to the governor about access to the polls and the way he has dealt with Moral Monday protests. She launched an online petition asking for that meeting. It has more than 10,000 signatures.
"I don't really want to have a big, long, drawn-out conversation with him; 15-20 minutes," she said.
Kimrey used her grandmother's recipe to bake a cake to share with the governor.
"I don't mean anything nasty with it or anything. It's a cake. And, cake is awesome," Kimrey said. "I didn't like where North Carolina was headed, so I decided to stand up about it."
You might be wondering if someone is behind this 12-year-old's ambition.
"A lot of people keep saying that my parents are putting me up to it and that I'm scripted all the time. And, that I recite this stuff in my living room before I do interviews. That's not what happens," Kimrey said.
Madison loves politics, but isn't old enough to vote. She says talking to the governor is one of the only ways to get her voice heard.
"I know about these things. That's what a lot of people don't understand. I really do know what I'm talking about. ... This is the only shot I've got as to having a say in my country and my state."
Governor McCrory did not meet with her. But, she got a lot of attention and you could argue she is learning a lot about politics. She certainly knows a lot more about government than your typical 12-year-old.
