OK, I ADMIT IT. There's a few things that Democrats have historically just plain stunk at. Brian Leshon thinks so, too. The chair of the Ventura County Democratic Party's Communications Committee says Republicans have been running circles around their progressive counterparts in talk radio for years.

Rush Limbaugh has his own little on-air fiefdom of loyalists who hang on his every word. He gets plenty of ink in the papers, too. Wishing out loud for Barack Obama's agenda to fail only makes him more popular with his fans.

With the exception of the acerbic Randi Rhodes, who even fights with her own network, liberal talkers are a bit more low-key. It's taken awhile for them to find a following. The progressive Air America Radio filed for bankruptcy and then came back up for air. But there are success stories. Rachel Maddow, my favorite, is smart, funny and now has her own show on MSNBC. Air America's Al Franken ran for Congress and sort of won. So we're getting better at this.

CLOSER TO HOME, Brian Leshon and David Atkins, both Ventura residents, have landed a regular spot on KVTA-Radio's "Locals Only" show with host Kelli McKay. I did a spot on McKay's show recently to plug the Ventura Education Partnership and I really appreciated the airtime. She's a very congenial host and a sucker for any good kid cause. Thanks, Kelli!

Leshon and Atkins have ambitious plans for the show, which they call "Reality Check." Their first guest is Assembly member Pedro Nava (D-35th) and they'll discuss the recent budget uproar as well as the initiative process.

"It's really important for Democrats, progressives and independents to get their voice out and this is the way to do it," Leshon said. "We can't allow the conversation to be controlled by the right. They don't represent where the county is going."

Leshon points to the fact that Democratic registration in the county has overtaken that of Republicans. With a large contingent of Obama volunteers in the area, he's hoping for a built-in audience.

Both men are radio veterans. Atkins, a researcher, is co-producer of BlogTalkRadio's progressive hub "Heading Left," and co-host of multiple shows on ePluribusRadio. He is a contributing editor at the blogs MyLeftWing and Booman Tribune and writes regularly for the DailyKos on policy framing and other issues. Leshon's media and communications career spans 30 years in television, radio, music, publishing, national lecture series and the Internet.

I plan on tuning in to this new show every week. It will air on KVTA, 1520 AM, every Friday at 11 a.m. It starts tomorrow (March 6). McKay's "Locals Only" is aired daily from 11 a.m. to noon and features a wide variety of guests.

UPDATE: Listen to the podcast of this show here.