The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has named Rep. Steve Israel (N.Y.) to serve as chairman of the recruiting committee for the 2010 election cycle.

DCCC Chairman Chris Van Hollen (Md.) also announced Friday that Robby Mook has been hired as the committee’s new political director, in what amounts to the first senior-level staff announcement the committee has made this cycle.

As head of recruiting at the DCCC, Israel will be responsible for helping to convince top-tier candidates in districts around the country to run for Congress. He has served on the recruiting committee for the past two cycles.

“Congressman Steve Israel’s aggressive leadership of the Recruiting Committee is critical to our success this cycle,” Van Hollen said in a statement. “Steve is a savvy, battle tested campaigner who will be an enormous asset to our candidates.”

Meanwhile, Mook comes to the DCCC after serving as now-Sen. Jeanne Shaheen’s (D-N.H.) campaign manager in the 2008 cycle.

Previously, he worked for then-Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s (D-N.Y.) presidential primary bid in Nevada, Ohio and Indiana. He also has had campaign experience in Virginia, Wisconsin and Maryland.