Like so many Americans, Jenny Escolastico has watched wearily as the cost of living has risen , straining her household budget. But as a mother of two children under 5, she faces added pressure that could shape how she votes in November: childcare costs .

Escolastico’s household outside Allentown, Pennsylvania, is relying solely on her husband’s income. She’s staying home with her children, at least in part because she simply can’t afford to work.

“What I would be spending on childcare would be more than what I would be making if I were working full time,” said Escolastico, an Air Force veteran who later worked in human resources.…