Childcare Costs Weigh On Some Voters Before The Midterm Elections

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Childcare costs are a live issue for some voters in Pennsylvania’s competitive 7th Congressional District, including two parents who have not decided how to vote. Democrat Bob Brooks backs expanded public programs and assistance, while Republican Rep. Ryan Mackenzie points to tax credits and employer incentives. The report does not establish how much childcare will affect election outcomes.

Childcare costs are weighing on some undecided voters in Pennsylvania’s competitive 7th Congressional District ahead of the November midterm elections, according to a report by The 74 Million. Parents interviewed by the publication described care expenses as a factor in their household finances and voting decisions, while the district’s Democratic and Republican candidates have promoted different approaches to lowering costs.

Jenny Escolastico, a mother of two children under 5 who lives outside Allentown, told The 74 Million that her family depends on her husband’s income because the cost of care would outweigh what she expects to earn working full time. Her son attends state-funded prekindergarten, but she said returning to work would still require after-school care for him and full-time care for her daughter. Escolastico, who voted for President Donald Trump in 2024, was weighing whether to vote Democratic in the midterms.

The district’s Democratic nominee, retired firefighter Bob Brooks, has called for universal prekindergarten, expanded full-day kindergarten, more Head Start funding and broader eligibility for federal childcare assistance. Incumbent Republican Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, a father of two children under 3, has supported tax-based measures. He cosponsored a bill to expand the federal childcare tax credit and increase incentives for employers that provide or subsidize care. The proposal was incorporated into Trump’s broader tax-and-spending legislation, the report said.

The report also interviewed Lerin Hagenbuch, a registered Republican in Allentown who has not decided how to vote. She said childcare costs remain a major concern even though her son is now in kindergarten. A Franklin and Marshall College poll cited in the report found about 16% of 7th District voters were undecided in September; it did not establish how many of those voters would prioritize childcare.

Childcare Enters a Competitive District Race

The district is one of a group of closely contested races that could help determine which party controls Congress next year. The report illustrates how childcare may intersect with broader voter concerns about the cost of living, alongside expenses such as food, fuel and housing. It does not show that childcare will decide the race, but accounts from voters indicate the issue is part of how some families assess candidates.

The candidates’ proposals also reflect a policy divide: Brooks emphasizes public programs and expanded assistance, while Mackenzie has backed tax credits and employer incentives. Those approaches differ in how support would reach families, and voters facing large bills may judge them by whether they offer practical relief.

Rising Bills and Fading Pandemic Aid

Child Care Aware of America reported that childcare costs rose faster than inflation from 2020 to 2024 and that the national average for full-time care exceeded $13,000 in 2025. An AP-NORC poll from June 2025 found about three-quarters of U.S. adults considered childcare costs a major problem, while 64% supported federal provision of free or low-cost care for children too young for public school. These are national findings, not measurements of voter opinion in the 7th District.

During the pandemic, the federal government spent more than $50 billion to support the childcare sector, including providers and assistance for families. The final pandemic-era aid expired three years after the 2021 funding period. The report says that the expiration was followed by expanded assistance waitlists, leaving some lower-income families to reduce work or manage care costs without that support. Biden’s proposal to cap most families’ childcare payments at 7% of household income did not pass Congress.

“The cost of caring for the people you love keeps climbing, and nobody in Washington seems to notice.”

— Bob Brooks, Democratic nominee

How Much Childcare Will Shift Votes

The report provides individual voter accounts and polling on undecided voters, but does not quantify how many district voters rank childcare as a top issue or how much it will affect turnout or candidate choice. It also does not establish whether either candidate’s proposals would pass, how much families would save under them, or when any changes would take effect. The cited national cost and opinion figures cannot be treated as district-specific results.

Candidates Face Voters in November

The next immediate milestone is the November midterm election, when voters in the 7th District will choose between Brooks and Mackenzie. Their positions provide competing proposals, but the report does not identify a later legislative decision or a guaranteed policy change. The election result, and any subsequent action in Congress, will determine whether either candidate’s plans advance.

Key Questions

Why is childcare part of the 7th District election discussion?

Some parents interviewed by The 74 Million said childcare expenses strain their budgets and influence how they are considering their votes. The district is also a competitive congressional race, though the report does not show that childcare will decide the outcome.

What childcare policies does Bob Brooks support?

The Democratic nominee has campaigned for universal prekindergarten, expanded full-day kindergarten, increased Head Start funding and wider eligibility for federal childcare assistance.

What has Ryan Mackenzie supported?

The Republican incumbent cosponsored a proposal to expand the federal childcare tax credit and increase tax incentives for employers that provide or subsidize childcare. The report says the proposal was folded into Trump’s broader tax-and-spending legislation.

How many district voters were undecided?

A Franklin and Marshall College poll cited by The 74 Million found about 16% of voters in Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District were undecided in September. The figure does not indicate how many of them considered childcare a priority.

Will either candidate’s plan lower childcare bills?

The report describes the candidates’ proposals but does not establish their eventual cost, effect on household bills or likelihood of becoming law. Those outcomes remain unclear.

Source: rss