Basil Marceaux, Sr. (born May 26, 1952) is an American perennial candidate who has on multiple occasions run for state and federal public office in Tennessee. Most recently, he filed as a candidate for the 2010 Republican nominations for governor in the Tennessee gubernatorial election and U.S. House of Representatives in Tennessee's 3rd congressional district. Owing in part to his unconventional viewpoints, his 2010 campaign for Governor became something of a media sensation. Marceaux previously ran unsuccessfully as a candidate for United States Senate and House of Representatives and ran unsuccessfully for Tennessee governor in 2002 as an independent candidate. Biography Marceaux was born in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. He received an associate's degree in business administration from Edmondson Junior College in Chattanooga, and served as a United States Marine. According to his website, he was in the Marines from 1971 to 1973, serving in Force Recon and rising to the rank of Lance Corporal. He has listed his professions as an inventor, entrepreneur, importer-exporter and historian. He is married to Getona Deaver and has two children. Marceaux is currently a resident of Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee. According to the Hamilton County Criminal Court of Tennessee, Marceaux has been the defendant in 19 criminal cases. Many of the cases were concerning misdemeanor traffic violations. According to court records, in 7 of the 19 cases, Marceaux was found not guilty by reason of insanity. Marceaux himself confirmed that he was ordered to be hospitalized for observation at Tennessee's Moccasin Bend Mental Health Institute twice. Additionally, Marceaux has been found guilty in a case involving vandalism and possession of drug paraphernalia, and in one case involving theft. A Hamilton County Judge once noted that Marceaux "has filed many, many lawsuits in the court of General Sessions. Everyone there has always tried to treat him with respect and courtesy." Political candidacies Before his 2010 candidacies for Governor and the U.S. House, Marceaux had previously run as a candidate for the Tennessee State Senate three times, the United States Senate once and the Governor of Tennessee in three separate elections. 2010 candidacies A 2010 Republican candidate for governor, Marceaux has campaigned for a recall of gun permits and the banning of law enforcement officers from charging suspects for anything except vehicle moving violations. He has promised to emphasize phonics in public schools and would require high school students to read the minutes from the United States House of