First on CNN: O'Malley to make the rounds in Nevada

(CNN) - Martin O'Malley has a jam-packed schedule during his brief visit to Nevada.

The Maryland governor and potential Democratic 2016 White House hopeful headlines a major Clark County Democratic Party dinner Friday night in Las Vegas.

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But CNN has learned that while there, the outgoing two-term governor will hold meetings with top Democrats in a state that votes early in the presidential caucus and primary calendar. And CNN's also learned that O'Malley will tout his progressive record in his address to state party leaders.

O'Malley will meet with Nevada Democratic activists and party leaders, including state chair Roberta Lange, as well as labor leaders and activists, according to a source close to the governor. O'Malley, who served as chairman of the Democratic Governors Association and later as finance chairman, will also spend some time with state lawmaker Lucy Flores, a candidate this year for lieutenant governor.

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While O'Malley has repeatedly said he's focused on his last year as governor, he's also seriously considering a bid for president, and has said he's preparing the "ground work" for a potential campaign. Besides Nevada, he's visited New Hampshire, which holds the first primary in the race for the White House, and South Carolina, which holds the first southern contest in the nomination battle.

O'Malley, as well as the rest of the field of possible candidates, trails far, far behind former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who's seriously considering a second White House bid, in early national and state polling of the race for the Democratic presidential nomination.

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If he does run, O'Malley can highlight his liberal record in Maryland. During his seven years in office, the state has legalized same-sex marriage, passed new gun control laws, increased the minimum wage, scrapped the death penalty, decriminalized small amounts of marijuana, and provided in-state tuition for some undocumented immigrants.

O'Malley will tout his accomplishments in his speech Friday night.

"In Maryland, we have done more, not less, to create jobs and build a modern economy – an economy, with a human purpose," O'Malley will say, according to excerpts of his address obtained by CNN. "Just a few days ago, Hawaii voted to raise its minimum wage. They joined Connecticut, Minnesota, and my state of Maryland who increased their minimum wage earlier this year."

"Because we believe in the dignity of every human being, we passed marriage equality in Maryland. So every child can realize his or her full potential, we passed the DREAM Act in Maryland," O'Malley will add.