"I am wondering if this would also be a no-no if I connected the surge
protector wire to a circuit breaker that is also feeding a branch
circuit ?
This seems a bit different than what the code was implying shouldn't be

done, and was wondering if this might be allowable. "

I think the reason the code doesn't allow this is the breaker
connection points are not rated and safe for having two wires in the
same connection. The issue being, that they could come loose. Don;t
think it matters whether they go to branch circuits or only one circuit
and the surge protector.