The Richmond Tea Party came to Goochland last week and the response was big.

Organizers booked a conference room at the Goochland library, expecting about 50-60 folks to attend. When more than 165 showed up, they moved the meeting outside to the library grounds to accommodate the crowd.

It was part of the Richmond Tea Party’s plan to reach out to counties such as Goochland, Louisa and New Kent.

Richmond Tea Party board member and Hadensville resident Susan Lascolette helped organize the meeting.

“I’ve not been active politically before,” said Lascolette as she helped set up chairs in the library conference room, “But I’ve wanted to do something for a long time.”

Lascolette said it was the Troubled Asset Relief Program bill that galvanized her into action.

Some of the early arrivals made similar comments.

“I’m a pretty conservative constitutional type,” said Barry Booth of Columbia. “The Tea Party has got my interest.”

“Government is the problem,” said Robert Carle. “They are spending too much money.”

John and Louise Lones came from Louisa for the meeting.

“We feel helpless,” said Louise. John said he was concerned about the build up of government debt and the taxes that must follow.

Lascolette said she had about 65 RSVPs to her meeting e-mail, but by the time it was all over 165 people had signed in.

The main attraction was an address by Richmond Tea Party head Jamie Radtke.

“If anyone ever doubted this was truly a grassroots movement they should have been here,” joked Radtke in an interview after the meeting, referring to the scores of people sitting on the grass outside the library.

“They couldn’t get into the building,” she said, “So we met on the hillside.”

Radtke said she spoke briefly about the five planks of the Tea Party movement, which were listed on their brochure as constitutional governance, limited government, fiscal restraint, virtue and accountability, and free markets.

The she took about 45 minutes of questions from the crowd.

Radtke said many of the attendees were focused on holding the Goochland County government accountable.

Supervisors Malvern R. “Rudy” Butler (District 4) and Ned S. Creasey (District 3) attended the meeting.

“It’s a great turnout for them,” said Butler, who said he thought the Tea Party might have some influence on upcoming local elections.

“Lots of people want to see a change in the School Board and the Board of Supervisors,” said Butler.

Lascolette said many of the people who came to the meeting had not been involved in politics before.

“That makes us a formidable movement,” said Radtke.

What’s next for the Goochland branch?

Lascolette said about 20 people said they were interested in potential leadership roles in the movement and they would meet soon.

Another general meeting would probably be scheduled for sometime in July, she said.