| Year | Won | Margin | Democratic | Republican | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | R | 315 | 1,625 | 1,958 | |
| 2020 | R | 320 | 1,643 | 1,982 | |
| 2016 | R | 262 | 1,382 | 1,681 | |
| 2012 | R | 277 | 1,236 | 1,535 | |
| 2008 | R | 375 | 1,238 | 1,628 | |
| 2004 | R | 325 | 1,314 | 1,645 | |
| 2000 | R | 316 | 1,146 | 1,490 | |
| 1996 | R | 414 | 845 | 1,447 | |
| 1992 | R | 463 | 787 | 1,640 | |
| 1988 | R | 483 | 795 | 1,291 | |
| 1984 | R | 360 | 1,004 | 1,369 | |
| 1980 | R | 603 | 832 | 1,453 | |
| 1976 | D | 510 | 448 | 969 | |
| 1972 | R | 150 | 483 | 642 | |
| 1968 | R | 277 | 290 | 703 | |
| 1964 | D | 487 | 255 | 743 | |
| 1960 | R | 273 | 377 | 653 | |
| 1956 | R | 191 | 350 | 541 | |
| 1952 | R | 303 | 450 | 753 | |
| 1948 | D | 446 | 156 | 616 | |
| 1944 | D | 326 | 163 | 549 | |
| 1940 | D | 453 | 126 | 579 | |
| 1936 | D | 210 | 55 | 265 | |
| 1932 | D | 335 | 89 | 424 | |
| 1928 | R | 98 | 479 | 577 | |
| 1924 | R | 188 | 300 | 498 | |
| 1920 | D | 177 | 111 | 309 | |
| 1916 | D | 242 | 14 | 284 | |
| 1912 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1908 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1904 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1896 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1892 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1888 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1884 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1876 | — | — | — | — |
Real County's sparse Hill Country ranching economy correlates with some of the widest Republican presidential margins in the state — the 2024 gap of nearly 67 points came from a total pool of roughly 1,500 votes.
The unraveling was not abrupt. The Democratic margin in Real County peaked at eighty points in 1916; it narrowed steadily over the late twentieth century. The 1980 election delivered the county to the Republican party for the first time in many years, by a margin of sixteen points. By 2024, the margin had widened further.
The economic and demographic context is severe. Real County's median household income of $39,605 is among the lowest of any county in the United States; 18% of residents live below the federal poverty line. The county's voting pattern over the last decade is most similar to that of Medina County and Lampasas County.