Jared Polis, running in a contentious Democratic primary in the 2nd district, conducted a live-blogging session from Baghdad on Wednesday while there on a United Way-sponsored trip to encourage the development of Iraqi nonprofit and humanitarian organizations.

“The city looks like many in the developing world,” Polis wrote in one of his posts. He said he was using the computer of an Iraqi member of Parliament during his Web chat.

Polis, a former state Board of Education president and wealthy Internet entrepreneur capable of self-funding his campaign, is running in the solidly Democratic, Boulder-area 2nd district to replace Rep. Mark Udall (D), who is running for Senate. Polis has a long record of supporting Democratic candidates and causes in Colorado, including spending his own money on myriad independent expenditure campaigns.

To earn his party’s nomination and an easy path to victory in the general election, Polis must first get through Joan Fitz-Gerald (D), who just resigned her state Senate seat and position as Senate president, and environmental activist Will Shafroth (D).

Polis live-blogged at the Web site ColoradoConfidential.com.

— David M. Drucker