Overdue recognition

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House Speaker David Wilkins of Greenville is a quietly effective leader whose fingerprints are on some of the most important legislation that's come out of the General Assembly in the past two decades. It's gratifying to see two national groups have honored Wilkins by making him a joint recipient of the 2004 Excellence in State Legislative Leadership Award. He is sharing the award with Robert M. Ward, Connecticut House minority leader. The award was presented Thursday by the nonpartisan National Conference of State Legislatures and the State Legislative Leaders Foundation.

Respect for Wilkins can be found throughout the state and across racial lines. He has played a major role in welfare reform, education accountability, judicial reform and government restructuring. His powers of persuasion helped fellow lawmakers accept a compromise on the Confederate flag and approve a bill that ultimately ended video poker.

South Carolina benefits from having a leader with the skill, integrity and temperament of David Wilkins. The national award just shows others outside of this state recognize his leadership qualities, too.