Four South Carolina counties that sued the state election commission and GOP have offered a settlement.

The Associated Press first reported that the counties offered to withdraw their lawsuit if the state election commission and Republican Party put aside $2.5 million in escrow to cover the costs of the presidential primary in January.

South Carolina GOP Chairman Chad Connelly said he was confident that the law was on the side of the party. Election commission Director of Public Information Chris Whitmire declined to comment.

The South Carolina Supreme Court agreed to hear the case, but a date has not been set for an initial hearing.

The four counties -- Beaufort, Chester, Greenville and Spartanburg -- filed suit despite a promise that the Republican Party would pay "all legitimate expenses," associated with the primary. Some county leaders said they were unsure about the commitment and wanted to be more involved in the decision-making process.