David has earned a reputation as a smart, principled fighter for common sense solutions to the problems of ordinary Georians. He received Environmental Leadership awards from the League of Conservation Voters every year he has served in the legislature. In 2005, he was the only Senator to receive a 100% rating from the League of Conservation Voters. David received the Environmental Leadership Award again for the 2006 Session continuing his perfect record on environmental protection.

In 2003, David was named by the Fulton County Daily Report as one of a dozen young Georgia lawyers “on the rise.” Also in 2003, David was named the "Diaper Dandy" by Creative Loafing for accomplishments during his freshman year in the Senate. In 2005, he again received an "Arnie" from Creative Loafing for his work as Democratic Whip.

David was honored by the Governor’s Council on Disabilities with its Legislative Leadership Award in 2004 for his work to protect “medically fragile” children by protecting the Katie Beckett Medicaid Waiver. Also in 2004, David received the Hope Award from the Partnership Against Domestic Violence for his landmark legislation protecting domestic violence shelters. David was the first legislator ever to receive the Hope Award.

For the last several years, Atlanta Magazine has recognized David as one of Georgia's Superlawyers. In 2004, NARAL Pro-choice Georgia honored David with its Pro-Choice Men Cook Award for his work defending the Constitutional rights of Georgia women. In 2005, David was recognized by Georgia Equality as Public Official of the Month. He was the first person to receive that honor.

Georgia's chapter of the National Federation of the Blind awarded David the "Sighted Guide Award" in 2005 after he passed legislation which benefited visually impaired Georgians. In 2006, David was presented with the Thomas B. Murphy Award by the Young Democrats of Georgia as Democrat of the Year.