Sergio Bendixen dies; pioneer pollster of Latinos was 68

MIAMI — Sergio Bendixen, a pioneer in public opinion polling of Latinos who also was the first Hispanic to run a U.S. presidential campaign, has died.

His business partner, Fernand Amandi, wrote on Twitter Saturday that Bendixen was 68.

The Miami Herald reported that no cause was immediately given for his death in Miami on Friday.

As a researcher and strategist, Bendixen had clients that included the World Bank, the United Nations and several foundations.

He pioneered multilingual surveys for Hispanics and other ethnic groups.

In 1984, Bendixen became the campaign manager for then-Democratic presidential candidate Alan Cranston, the U.S. senator from California.

Four years later, he ran Bruce Babbit’s campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Amandi tweeted that Bendixen had changed the world for the better.