Democratic Senate candidate and former Chicago Inspector General David Hoffman met with top White House adviser David Axelrod Thursday afternoon, according to Hoffman’s campaign manager.

Hoffman, state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias and former Chicago Urban League President Cheryle Robinson Jackson are running for the Democratic nomination. Giannoulias, who polls show is the frontrunner for the nod, famously palled around with President Obama when they were lawmakers together in Illinois, but the president has indicated he will not endorse any candidate until after the Feb. 2 primary.

“The purpose of the meeting was for David Hoffman to have an opportunity to meet with David Axelrod and lay out the merits of his candidacy,” said Hoffman campaign manager Michael Powell.