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Arizona's Republican Governor Jan Brewer onMonday vetoed two controversial bills, one mandating proof of U.S.citizenship to run for president, the other allowing guns on college campuses,in a clear setback for conservatives who control the state legislature.

Brewer, who grabbed headlines a year ago when she signed a get-tough statelaw cracking down on illegal immigrants, vetoed the bills in an announcementlate on Monday.

The so-called "birther bill," would have made Arizona the firststate in the nation to require presidential candidates prove U.S. citizenshipby providing a long form birth certificate, and other forms of proof includingbaptismal or circumcision certificates, to be placed on the state ballot.

"I never imagined being presented with a bill that could requirecandidates for president of the greatest and most powerful nation on earth tosubmit their 'early baptism or circumcision certificates' ... This is a bridgetoo far," she said..

A former Arizonasecretary of state, Brewer said she did not support designating one person as"gatekeeper to the ballot for a candidate," as it "could lead toarbitrary or politically motivated decisions."

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The Republican-controlled state legislature passed the measure at a timewhen some foes of President Barack Obama, a Democrat question whether he is anative-born U.S.citizen. Real estate mogul and television reality show host Donald Trump isamong those questioning Obama's birth in Hawaii.

Brewer also vetoed a bill that would have made Arizona the second state inthe nation to allow an individual to carry a firearm -- either concealed or not-- in the public rights of way on higher education campuses, because it was"so poorly written."

Brewer said shortcomings in the bill included a failure to define"public rights of way" and the inclusion of state schools, wherefirearms are prohibited by federal and state laws.

Neighboring Utahallows firearms inside campus buildings.

Last April, Brewer caused a national furor when she signed the state'scontroversial crackdown on immigration, which required police to investigatethe immigration status of anyone they detained and suspected of being in thecountry illegally.

Opponents of the law said it would lead to harassment of Hispanic-Americans,and the Obama administration argued the U.S. Constitution gave the federalgovernment sole authority over immigration matters.

A U.S.federal judge blocked the most controversial parts of the law shortly before itcame into effect last July. Arizonaappealed the stay, but it was upheld by a federal appeals court in a rulinglast week.

Arizona Sen. Steve Gallardo, an outspoken Democrat, said the governorrealized that the bills would be bad for the state's image and had nothing todo with the challenges it faces.

"She know that these bills are not going to help with Arizona's image," Gallardo toldReuters.

"All they do is put us in the national spotlight and make us looksilly. She's saying she doesn't want that to happen any longer."

(Additional reporting by Tim Gaynor; Editing by Greg McCune)