Colorado’s senators have been front and center on the “nuclear option” and filibuster battle heading for a showdown in Congress.

Sen. Ken Salazar has been a chief spokesman for a compromise, offering to allow an up-or-down-vote on all of President Bush’s nominees in exchange for the Republicans agreeing to keep the right to filibuster alive for the duration of the 109th Congress.

Sen. Wayne Allard, who serves as Deputy Whip for the Republicans, has been lobbying Republicans to tow the party line.

Already, there has been fallout from the impasse. A hearing scheduled for Thursday on the proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, of which Allard has been an outspoken supporter, has been canceled.

Sen. Allard plans to make a speech on the Senate floor today. Time is running out for the compromise, and both sides believe they have enough votes to win. The stakes are high, and the story will dominate the news this week, so stay tuned.