Barton County, along with the rest of the state of Missouri, is represented in the U.S. Senate by Josh Hawley (R-Columbia) and Eric Schmitt.

Like most rural areas throughout Missouri, voters in Barton County generally adhere to socially and culturally conservative principles which tend to influence their Republican leanings.

On the Democratic side, former Vice President Joe Biden (D-Delaware) both won statewide and carried Barton County by a wide margin.

Incumbent President Donald Trump (R-Florida) faced a primary challenge from former Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld, but won both Barton County and statewide by overwhelming margins.

Businessman Donald Trump (R-New York) narrowly won the state overall, but Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) carried a majority of the vote in Barton County.

The 2012 Missouri Republican Presidential Primary's results were nonbinding on the state's national convention delegates.

Senator Rick Santorum (R-Pennsylvania), who finished first in the state at large, but eventually lost the nomination to former Governor Mitt Romney (R-Massachusetts).

Incumbent President Barack Obama easily won the Missouri Democratic Primary and renomination.

In 2008, the Missouri Republican Presidential Primary was closely contested, with Senator John McCain (R-Arizona) prevailing and eventually winning the nomination.

Then-Senator Hillary Clinton (D-New York) carried Barton County in the 2008 Democratic presidential primary.

Despite initial reports that Clinton had won Missouri, Barack Obama (D-Illinois), also a Senator at the time, narrowly defeated her statewide and later became that year's Democratic nominee, going on to win the presidency.