Former State Senate Pro Team is backing Port Commissioner Bryan Parker for Oakland mayor.

OAKLAND | MAYOR | Former State Senate Pro Tem Don Perata says Oakland mayoral hopeful Bryan Parker has what it takes to get things done. With less than a week before Election Day, Perata announced Wednesday morning his endorsement of Parker for Oakland mayor.

Perata’s endorsement continues an aggressive push by Parker during the last two weeks of the campaign. Last weekend, he also received the backing of former NAACP President Ben Jealous and entered a much-reported alliance with fellow candidates Joe Tuman and Courtney Ruby.

The press conference, though, occurred at Perata’s office in Orinda, where the former Oakland mayoral candidate from four years ago now lives.

“This is a wide open race,” said Perata in a statement. “The leadership Oakland needs will not come from any of the City Hall incumbents. As former leader of the California State Senate, I know what it takes to get things done. Oakland leaders need to realize that we either go together or we don’t go at all. There is only one candidate for Mayor who will be the strong leader that unites us. That leader is Bryan Parker.”

In Oakland’s first use of ranked-choice voting in 2010, Perata won the most first-place votes, but was overtaking in subsequent rounds by Jean Quan. At Wednesday’s press conference, Perata called ranked-choice voting, “an absolute silly system,” according to reports.