Voters in California on Tuesday turned their backs on two high-profile candidates that support the state's ban on gay marriage, Proposition 8.

The state's Democratic attorney general, Jerry Brown, who refused to defend the law, shut out his Republican opponent Meg Whitman.

Whitman conceded defeat Tuesday night, telling supporters the journey is ending “but our mission is not.”

The former eBay chief spent a record $142 million of her personal fortune in her quest to become California's first female governor.

In remarks made hours before speaking at the opening of the state's three-day GOP convention in San Diego, Whitman chided Brown for not defending Proposition 8.

She said Brown and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who also refused to defend the law, had an obligation to defend the Constitution and to “enable the judicial process to go along.”

“So if I was governor, I would give that ruling standing to be able to appeal to the circuit court,” she said.

The state's largest gay rights advocate, Equality California, had targeted Whitman for supporting the gay marriage ban.

“Shame on Meg Whitman” for being willing to spend possibly millions defending Proposition 8 when California is suffering from big budget woes and high unemployment, a male announcer says in an ad from the group.

Also going down in defeat was former HP chief Carly Fiorina, who lost to incumbent Senator Barbara Boxer, a Democrat, in Tuesday's election.

Boxer, a strong supporter of gay rights, had reiterated throughout the campaign her support for marriage equality.

Fiorina said during an hour-long debate held at St. Mary's College that she believes marriage is between one man and one woman, but expressed support for recognizing gay and lesbian couples with civil unions.

“[A]ctually, the position I've consistently espoused is consistent with that of our president and a vast majority of senators in the U.S. Senate,” Fiorina said.

In defending a federal gay marriage ban, the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), and Proposition 8, Fiorina suggested that she's in favor of laws that limit marriage to heterosexual unions.

Referring to the federal judge's recent ruling that struck down Proposition 8 as unconstitutional, Fiorina said it was “not appropriate” for a judge to overrule the will of California voters who approved the measure in 2008.

Fiorina, however, enjoyed the endorsement of gay GOP group GOProud. The group targeted Boxer for ouster in a $50,000 television ad buy that equated her, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank, who is openly gay, to the gossipy stars of Bravo's Real Housewives reality franchise.