I think its ultimately about big business and jobs.
The corporate elites want Southern states to give into their demands.
One example is First Amendment protection for gay marriage dissenters.
The Republican governors have complied starting with Donald Trump supporter Jan Brewer in AZ in 2014 and Marco Rubio supporter Asa Hutchinson in AR last year along with the Cruz supporting Mike Pence in Indiana.
Pat McCrory of NC vetoed protective legislation for government officials who oppose gay marriage last year (I think that’s one reason he’s stepped into the transgender access to restroom issue in his re-election year).
This year Nathan Deal vetoed First Amendment legislation to protect freedom of religion for churches and religious groups who dissent from gay marriage.
As far as the Second Amendment, read this story from Oklahoma posted on FR the other week as their State Senate passed 2A legislation with the usual laundry list of business opponents like pro sports teams and chambers of commerce.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/3423118/posts?page=1
Southern voters are going to have to send devastating messages to the Republican party in their states. That governor should lose his job and the Republican party is going to.have to be defeated in those states.