Amidst a packed schedule of campaign events on a sunny September Saturday, Republican U.S. Senate candidate John James seemed most at home in a quiet museum full of veterans' memorabilia.

While meeting with board members of the Michigan Heroes Museum in Frankenmuth, the former Army captain and West Point graduate cracked jokes with museum officials about other branches of the military and paid somber respects to Michigan residents who died in service.

At one point, Greg Rummel, the board's president, asked James what one thing supporters could do to help bring him the win in November.

After a moment of thought, James said: "I need you to pray for me."

"Each of you has talent and resources and abilities that I couldn't even know what to ask for...just do what you feel led to do, and I will continue to do the same," he continued.

James, of Farmington Hills, was new to the political scene when he announced his intent to take on incumbent Democrat Debbie Stabenow, who was first elected to represent Michigan in the Senate in 2000.

Throughout his campaign, he has marketed himself as an antidote to same-old, same-old in Washington D.C., promising to bring a fresh perspective and a skill set buoyed by his combat experience in the Iraq War and his work at the business founded by his father, James Group International.

James was one of two Michigan candidates to earn an endorsement from President Donald Trump this cycle, and Vice President Mike Pence has visited Michigan to campaign on his behalf. Donald Trump Jr. is expected to come to Michigan next week to accompany James at a rally in Pontiac.

Among strongly Republican voters, James has built up a dedicated fan base. During one recent stop at Saginaw County Republican Party headquarters, several enthusiastic supporters asked James to sign their t-shirts emblazoned with the campaign's logo.

But recent polls have shown James trailing Stabenow by double digits, with polling aggregation site Real Clear Politics showing Stabenow ahead by an average of 17.2 points.

Several factors complicate James' path to victory, said Bernie Porn, president of the polling firm EPIC-MRA. Compared to Stabenow, his name recognition among voters is low among likely midterm voters, and the Trump endorsement that sealed his primary victory could hurt his standing among independents, he said.

And in a year where the majority of Michigan voters will see at least one female candidate for every statewide and federal office, Stabenow has retained her popularity and is currently polling better than James among both male and female voters, Porn said.

Since Stabenow's first foray into political office, "she had a great personality that attracted people to her candidacy, and I don't think that has changed in all of the races she has run ever since," Porn said. "I think it's going to be real tough for James to overcome the deficit."

James remains optimistic, noting that in his primary race, he was down in the polls and outspent by millions of dollars before ultimately defeating opponent Sandy Pensler.

"For all the talk about a blue wave, people are discounting the strong undercurrent of anti-establishment sentiment in this state," he said. "People want something different. People want someone who is not going to simply talk about change, but deliver it."

Stabenow said she is unfazed by criticism of her political background and record on the campaign trail, chalking it up to politics as usual. She said she has a proven track record of getting results for Michigan voters.

"That's what happens every time - if that's all someone has to say, it's OK," she said. "For me, this is about being in Michigan my whole life, it's about understanding how to get things done, having experience and getting results for people."

James, 37, has an impressive resume - in addition to his West Point credentials and eight years of military service, he holds two masters degrees from Penn State University and the University of Michigan. He currently serves as president of James Group International, a logistics and supply chain management firm founded by his father in Detroit.

James said he considers himself an "independent-thinking conservative" who ultimately decided to enter the political realm to offer change untainted by partisan politics.

"People want someone who is not going to simply talk about change, but deliver it," he said. "I think people are ready for a change, they are ready for fresh blood, they're ready for a new perspective."

If he's elected, James would be Michigan's first African American U.S. Senator. But he doesn't want to be defined by his race, as he sums up in a phrase he frequently uses on the campaign trail: "I don't have a black message or a white message. I have a message that appeals to everyone, because we're all Americans first. Folks like Sen. Stabenow have forgotten that."

That message appeals to Ernest Dumas, a Detroit resident who said he's worked with James' father in the past and came to see James at a recent community forum in the city.

"He's young, energetic, knowledgeable and he has some business acumen," he said. "Come November, I think Republicans will win."

With roughly a month left to go before Election Day, James is hopeful he can pull off the upset despite the odds with the help of independent-minded voters.

"In the military, we don't have any coalitions. In business, we all put aside our differences to accomplish the mission and get the job done," he said. "I think that the coalition that supports me, to use that term, is a coalition of independent thinkers who will put being American before anything else."

More information about the Nov. 6 midterm elections:

Polls will be open in Michigan from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 6. Check Michigan's Secretary of State website to see whether you are registered and to preview your ballot.

MLive has partnered with the League of Women Voters of Michigan Education Fund to provide candidate information and other voting resources to Michigan readers.

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government. For specific information about the U.S. Senate candidates and other Michigan races, visit Vote411.org.