Kind of cryptic title I know, but here's a thread I just stumbled across again:
https://talkelections.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=81383.25Link starts on page 2 when the relevant part starts...basically Keystone Phil and him get in a fervent argument about McCain's running mate, Phil arguing for Tim Pawlenty and him for Tom Ridge. On a side note it's been quite awhile since I've ever seen a spirited debate of that type between blue avatars on internal Republican politics, today it seems any inter-party conflict is simply pro-Trump vs. anti-Trump with the anti-Trump side not willing to support him at all and it's not really inter-party.
Anyway Supersoulty argues that Pawlenty's ex-Catholic status means that he'll alienate and turn off Catholic voters, Phil (also Catholic) argues that's a non-issue. Now it's safe to say that Phil was in the end right even if neither was the VP nominee, Palin was actually technically an ex-Catholic but she converted as a child when her parents did and of course with all the other controversy about her that seems pretty trivial and thus wasn't discussed. Pence is a more legitimate ex-Catholic ala Pawlenty...but again a very very trivial thing in regards to what we dealt with with Trump. Still the fact that it was trivial does show that yeah no one would really care 2008 onwards.
But was there a pre-2008 time when this would've been a factor electorally?