HELENA - David Benson, a veteran of political campaigns in South Dakota and Minnesota, has taken over as the new executive director of the Montana Democratic Party.

Benson started here in mid-October, replacing Art Noonan, who resigned the full-time party director's post in early summer.

"For me coming in to this position, I want to create stability and continuity for the party for now and in the future," Benson said Thursday.

He said he's excited to help build on the successes of Montana Democrats and believes that "in order to make good public policy that positively affects the lives of Montanans, we need to elect good policymakers."

He praised Democratic Gov. Brian Schweitzer and U.S. Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester for fighting to make life better for families, farms and businesses.

Looking to the 2010 elections, Benson fixed his sights on the Legislature and five-term U.S. Rep. Denny Rehberg, the lone Republican statewide elected official.

"First and foremost, it's recruiting good candidates," he said. "It is being competitive all across the state in the legislative races, holding on to our PSC (Public Service Commission) seats that we currently have and, of course, defeating Denny Rehberg."

Benson, 29, is from Brandon, S.D., near Sioux Falls. He said he's been active in Democratic politics since attending President Bill Clinton's visit and campaign rally at his high school's homecoming in 1996.

He's a graduate of Augustana College in Sioux Falls, where he chaired the South Dakota College Democrats and worked on campaigns.

After managing a South Dakota secretary of state candidate's race, Benson worked on Sen. Tom Daschle's unsuccessful re-election race in 2004.

In 2005, Benson moved to Minnesota and worked briefly on a U.S. Senate campaign before taking a job with now-Sen. Al Franken's political action committee, Midwest Values PAC in 2006.

Benson was deputy campaign manager on Franken's prolonged 2008 campaign that wasn't resolved until June 2009. There, he worked for Stephanie Schriock, who managed the Franken campaign after running Montana Sen. Jon Tester's 2006 general election race. Schriock, who was raised in Butte, has returned to her job as Tester's Senate chief of staff.

Through Schriock and others with ties here, Benson said it became clear that "Montana would be a great place to call home."

Benson said the Montana Democratic Party now has two other employees besides him, but will be hiring a fundraiser and someone to work on 2010 legislative races.