Could Claire Underwood be relieved of VP duties if Conway won in a split-election?

Question

Just watching House of Cards season 5, Claire becomes acting president elect due to neither Underwood or Conway getting the required electoral votes. Thus the vote for President is left to Congress. Given that it is entirely possible that Congress elects Conway, could Conway get rid of Claire if he won? I believe the term they used in the show was a split-election. A reporter also was asking Conway what would happen in such a case, and if the 12th amendment prevented him from getting rid of her if he won.

From what I can gather, the VP is the only person in the President's staff that can't be fired by the President.

Answer 1

Adding onto Paulie_D's answer (Claire can't be fired), if there was a split election, Conway could still "relieve" Claire's duties in a way. He can basically assign nothing for Claire to do and tell her nothing about what's going on. In other words, he can make her just a figurehead with no real power. In the real world, this isn't uncommon. Most presidents ignore the vice president. As John Adams(first VP) said, “My country has in its wisdom contrived for me the most insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived or his imagination conceived.”

Conway is also very good with public relations, so he would probably put on the facade that he and Claire were working side by side despite party differences. He would preach unity, etc etc.

Answer 2

Could Conway get rid of Claire if he won?

Not by "firing" her...No

Vice-Presidents are elected, not appointed, and removing them from office requires a vote of the House (Congress) and two-thirds vote in the Senate.

You can find a more in depth answer over at Politics.se where this has already been asked.