Calling the crowded field of Republican U.S. Senate hopefuls a “cattle call of career politicians,” Lakewood businessman Jerry Natividad said Tuesday he’s leaning toward seeking the primary ballot via the assembly process rather than petitioning on.

Natividad announced his bid for the seat held by Democrat Michael Bennet on March 1, just hours before Republicans attended caucuses across the state and began the process of selecting delegates to higher assemblies and conventions.

At that time, Natividad said he planned to gather the requisite 10,500 petition signatures to make the June 28 ballot, rather than seek the support of at least 30 percent of delegates to the GOP state assembly, scheduled for April 9 in Colorado Springs. But Natividad said he’d seek the ballot by assembly at a candidate forum Saturday in Montrose, and Tuesday he confirmed that’s the way he’s leaning.

“My first instinct was to petition on,” Natividad told The Colorado Statesman in a statement. “But as I’ve made the rounds and worked the phones, Republican activists are truly uninspired by this parade of insiders and professional politicians. Is there an opening at the assembly for a guy who is a true outsider? Is there a clear contrast between a guy like me who’s come from literally nothing and built something vs. this cattle call of career politicians? No question about it. So yes, the assembly looks more and more appealing every day.”

The Colorado secretary of state’s office hasn’t approved nominating petitions for Natividad, a spokeswoman told The Statesman Tuesday.

Last week, Natividad said he was “100 percent comfortable” with his campaign’s ability to gather sufficient signatures, even though five candidates for the same ballot have had a head-start of nearly a month.

Thirteen Republicans have announced for the seat, creating the most crowded Senate primary field in the country. Five of them have had petitions approved by the Colorado secretary of state’s office. Petitions are due April 4 and must have 1,500 valid signatures from each of the state’s seven congressional districts.

Candidates who have said they’re seeking the ballot via petition are: former Aurora Councilman Ryan Frazier, Colorado Springs business consultant Robert Blaha, former CSU athletic director Jack Graham, former state Rep. Jon Keyser and Jefferson County Commissioner Don Rosier.

Those who have said they’re going through the assembly process include state Sen. Tim Neville, El Paso County Commissioners Darryl Glenn and Peg Littleton, Fountain activist Charlie Ehler, activist Jerry Eller and perennial candidates Tom Janich and Michael Kinlaw.

Natividad is presenting himself as someone new to the fray of elective politics in a field that includes current and former state lawmakers, three county commissioners and two former congressional candidates.

“I’ve never, ever, ever run for public office,” he said when he announced. “I’m not a career politician. I’m simply taking a look at the future of the kids and grandkids of this country.”

Natividad is president and CEO of American Facility Services Group, a Lakewood-based facilities management company, and owns the Jeffco Regional Sports Facility. He has served on the boards of Colorado Republican Hispanic Assembly, the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Denver Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and was a member of presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s National Hispanic Steering Committee.

— ernest@coloradostatesman.com