Sen. John CornynJohn CornynSenate headed for late night vote amid standoff over lands bill Koch-backed group launches ad campaign to support four vulnerable GOP senators Tim Scott to introduce GOP police reform bill next week MORE (R-Texas) said on Wednesday that Republicans need to learn from the GOP primary runoff in Alabama, where Sen. Luther StrangeLuther Johnson StrangeThe biggest political upsets of the decade State ‘certificate of need’ laws need to go GOP frets over nightmare scenario for Senate primaries MORE (R) lost to a conservative challenger.

“We’ve had what I would say [are] similar but not the same challenges before, for example with the advent of the Tea Party following 2010 and primaries. And I just think we need to learn from this experience and be prepared,” said Cornyn, the No. 2 Senate Republican, when asked about his takeaway from Tuesday’s election.

Strange, who was appointed in February to fill the seat vacated by Attorney General Jeff SessionsJefferson (Jeff) Beauregard SessionsMcCabe, Rosenstein spar over Russia probe Rosenstein takes fire from Republicans in heated testimony Rosenstein defends Mueller appointment, role on surveillance warrants MORE, lost to Roy Moore, a former state Supreme Court chief justice supported by former White House chief strategist Stephen Bannon, by more than 9 percentage points.

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His defeat marked a setback for the GOP establishment, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote GOP senator to try to reverse requirement that Pentagon remove Confederate names from bases No, ‘blue states’ do not bail out ‘red states’ MORE (R-Ky.) and his allies, who invested time and millions of dollars to try to help Strange win.

Cornyn added that Republicans are “listening and watching very closely” to understand the race’s “message.”

“It’s not news that we have sort of an outsider vs. insider challenge. … But I think other senators will be prepared … from having served on a longer period of time and be better known to their voters,” he said.

Though Senate Republicans have a favorable election map — defending eight seats to the Democrats’ 25 — they are facing a slate of heated primary fights that could pit conservative challengers against incumbents.

Kelli Ward, who is challenging Sen. Jeff FlakeJeffrey (Jeff) Lane FlakeGOP lawmakers stick to Trump amid new criticism Kelly holds double-digit lead over McSally in Arizona: poll Trump asserts his power over Republicans MORE (R-Ariz.) for the GOP nomination, immediately seized on Moore’s primary victory, saying “Senate leadership should take note of what has transpired in Alabama and end their dishonest attacks against me.”

McConnell has pledged that he and his allies will work to influence GOP primaries in an effort to stop a repeat of 2010 and 2012, when some hard-line conservative candidates defeated incumbents from the GOP establishment in party primaries only to lose general elections.

But conservatives and outside groups, which were already dissatisfied with McConnell, are redoubling their efforts to try to challenge the Kentucky Republican’s power over the Senate races and within the conference.

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McConnell’s allies have downplayed the notion that the Alabama race, or a failed attempt to repeal ObamaCare, have had an impact on his standing in the caucus. McConnell was reelected to the top spot unanimously last year during a closed-door meeting.

Cornyn, asked if McConnell was becoming “harmful” for Republicans, added, “No; I’d hate to think about where we would be without Senator McConnell’s efforts.”