The Southern ones you mentioned were definitely helped by racial issues. Now a Mike Huckabee would do better than McCain and would definitely hold those states except WV vs. Biden. NE and KS are not really that religious and I'd think would be turned off by Palin.
The Dakotas aren't that religious either yet everyone here was harping on how Palin helped keep ND in the GOP column.
Notice the big red uptick after the Palin pick at the end of August, and a slight decline when everyone actually seen Palin for what she was... an idiot.
