Gov. Haley's call to take down flag follows 15 years of GOP refusal to revisit the issue

A Confederate flag flies next to the Alabama Confederate Memorial on the grounds of the Alabama Capitol building in Montgomery, Ala., Monday, June 22, 2015. (Albert Cesare/The Montgomery Advertiser via AP) NO SALES; MANDATORY CREDIT (The Associated Press)

South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley speaks during a news conference in the South Carolina State House, Monday, June 22, 2015, in Columbia, S.C. Haley said that the Confederate flag should come down from the grounds of the state capitol, reversing her position on the divisive symbol amid growing calls for it to be removed. Also pictured are U.S. Congressman James Clyburn, left, and U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, right. (Tim Dominick/The State via AP) (The Associated Press)

For 15 years, South Carolina lawmakers have refused to revisit the Confederate flag's flying on Statehouse grounds, saying the 2000 law that took it off the dome was a bipartisan compromise and renewing that debate would unnecessarily expose divisive wounds.

But opinions changed within five days of the massacre of nine people at a black church in Charleston, as a growing tide of Republicans joined the call to put the battle flag in a museum.

On Monday, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley not only called for the flag's removal, but pledged to order legislators back to Columbia for another special session if they don't deal with it themselves.

Removing the flag won't be easy, despite the shifting sentiment. A two-thirds majority will be needed to bring it down.