Wisconsin GOP chairman Reince Priebus made it official today and is getting into the race for RNC chairman.

Priebus, who served as this RNC's general counsel until this past weekend, was close to Steele and helped elect him in 2009.

Here's his five-and-a-half-minute announcement video:

The video touts Republicans' gains in Wisconsin, including winner the governorship, a U.S. Senate seat, two House seats, the state Assembly and Senate.

Very hopeful-sounding piano music plays in the background while others, including Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), speak glowingly of Priebus.

"This is your victory," Ryan says in the video, adding, "Thank you for making this possible."

Priebus, who appears later in the video, notes, with perhaps a veiled shot at current RNC Chairman Michael Steele, "We all stayed on message....," he says of candidates and officials in Wisconsin.

Laying out his reasons for running, he says, "Our country is in a time of great peril" and that this election "really is the most important election" because "real damage" is being doing by President Obama and Democratic leaders in Congress.

"I don't believe we can win the presidency without a highly functioning RNC," Priebus says, "and unfortunately, we don't have that today."

He adds, "If you're looking for someone with an inflated ego, and thinks they know it all, that isn't me."

(Hat tip: Jonathan Martin via Ben Smith.)